Spring whitlow-mustard is a Eurasian native, introduced to and well established in North
America. It is common in disturbed habitats such as meadows and fields.
Plants: These inconspicuous plants are easily
overlooked. They are 1¾-8″ (5-20 cm) in size.
Leaves: Basal, Simple, sometimes toothed.
Each leaf is 1/16-⅝″ (2-18 mm) long, obovate, oblanceolate, or linear.
Leaf surfaces have tiny hairs poking up from dimpled spots.
Flowers: Flowerheads have 4-20 flowers. Each
flower is white, with four petals each divided nearly in two, on wiry stalks (pedicels) ⅛-¾″ (5-20 mm) long.
Petals are 1/16-⅛ ⨉ 1/32-1/16″ (2-4.5 ⨉ 1-2 mm) in size.
Fruits: ⅛-¼ ⨉ 1/32-1/16″ (4-9 ⨉ 1.5-2.5 mm), and flat.