field pennycress

(Thlaspi arvense)

Conservation Status

IUCN Red List

not listed

NatureServe

NNA - Not applicable

SNA - Not applicable

Minnesota

not listed

Weed Status

Restricted Weed Seed

Wetland Indicator Status

Great Plains

FACU - Facultative upland

Midwest

FACU - Facultative upland

Northcentral & Northeast

UPL - Obligate upland

 
field pennycress
 
 
Description

The seed pods are flat, round, and at least long when mature. They are notched at the tip, the notch much deeper than it is wide. There is a distinct separation between the outer, papery winged margin of the pod and the two seeds it contains. The large size and shape of the pods is the plant’s most distintive feature.

 

Height

4 to 20

 

Flower Color

White

 

Similar Species

Shepherd’s purse (Capsella bursa-pastoris) has seed pods that are triangular, about ¼ long at maturity, and are not notched.

Habitat

Roadsides, weedy meadows, cultivated fields, gardens, disturbed sites

Ecology

Flowering

April to June

 

Pests and Diseases

 

 

Defense Mechanisms

This and other mustards (family Brassicaceae) produce chemical compounds when cells are damaged that are toxic to most animals, fungi, and bacteria.

Use

 

Distribution

Distribution Map

 

Sources

2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 22, 24, 28, 29, 30.

5/19/2024    
     

Nativity

Native to Europe, Asia, Pakistan, and the Madeira Islands. Introduced and naturalized.

     

Occurrence

Common

Taxonomy

Kingdom

Plantae (green algae and land plants)

Subkingdom

Viridiplantae (green plants)

Infrakingdom

Streptophyta (land plants and green algae)

Superdivision

Embryophyta (land plants)

Division

Tracheophyta (vascular plants)

Subdivision

Spermatophytina (seed plants)

Class

Magnoliopsida (flowering plants)

Superorder

Rosanae

Order

Brassicales (mustards, capers, and allies)

Family

Brassicaceae (mustard)

Subfamily

Brassicoideae

Supertribe

Brassicodae

Tribe

Thlaspideae

Genus

Thlaspi (penny cresses)

   

Subordinate Taxa

 

   

Synonyms

 

   

Common Names

fanweed

field penny cress

field pennycress

field penny-cress

Frenchweed

mithridate mustard

penny cress

pennycress

stinkweed

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Luciearl

field pennycress  

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Field pennycress (left) and winter cress (right)  

 

     
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Basal leaves

 
   

 

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Infructescence

     
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Fruits

 

Camera

Slideshows

Thlaspi arvense
Susanne Wiik

Thlaspi arvense
About

Pengeurt, Field Penny-cress

 

slideshow

Visitor Videos
 

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Other Videos

Field Pennycress Kevin Anderson
umnforevergreen

About

Published on Mar 20, 2013

A description of Kevin Anderson's pennycress research at the University of Minnesota

Weed of the Week #762-Field Pennycress (Air Date 11/11/12)
AgPhD

About

Published on Nov 14, 2012

It's our Weed of the Week, Field Pennycress.

winter annuals as a living mulch - penny cress
paul wheaton

About

Uploaded on Sep 10, 2011

http://www.permies.com

Helen Atthowe of http://www.veganicpermaculture.com talks about using winter annuals as a lving mulch. In this case, field penny cress - Thlaspi arvense.

It grows in the late fall or early spring and then, conveniently dies for the summer growing season, thus leaving behind a light mulch that makes it difficult for weeds to get a start.

This is a case of choosing your weeds. If you choose to have no weeds, then you will get weeds that you don't want. The penny cress is an extremely polite weed: it does not compete for water or nutrients throughout the typical growing season, and it helps to retard other weeds.

Relevant threads at permies:
http://www.permies.com/permaculture-forums/6540_0/organic-sustainable-practices/living-mulch
http://www.permies.com/permaculture-forums/7027_0/permaculture/conservation-farming
http://www.permies.com/permaculture-forums/2230_0/permaculture/helen-atthowe-goddess-of-the-soil

music by Jimmy Pardo

Plant Use And Identification - Pennycress Biodiesel
MiWilderness

About

Published on Jun 7, 2012

Thanks for your views, comments, and support. Want to see more wild plant videos and potential uses? Look here: http://www.youtube.com/user/MiWilderness Everything is organized into playlists on the feed page.

This is part two continuing the series on how to identify plants by flower. Sometimes identification by flower is difficult if not impossible. Using careful observation of other plant characteristics such as leaf attachment, petiole, lack of petiole, seed shape, smell, color, and other features may lead to a positive identification.

Part one video and description: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZBLLO3-GmI0&list=PLAB9DFB2A4ED09C68&index=70&feature=plpp_video

By dissecting flowers it is possible to place plants into families. By placing plants into families it is much easier to obtain species identification. By obtaining species identification it is possible to research plants by Latin name and determine potential uses, whether or not those uses be for food, medicine, poison, or utility purposes.

This video shows how to identify a plant to the Mustard family by flower pattern. Mustards have racemes, a spiral like flower and seed structure attaching to stem, they have flowers with 4 sepals, 4 petals, 6 stamen; 4 long and 2 short, and one pistil.

Brassica, Brassicaceae, Cruciferae, or cabbage family of plants. as they are sometimes called are fairly easy to identify and become familiar with. Mustards have a multitude of uses and are extremely abundant making them very worth while to learn. The Mustard family of plants contains many species, many of which are used for food, medicine, or utility purposes.

Mustard plants are used to make biodiesel and also are known to contain glucosinolates which are allelopathic, meaning they prevent other plants from growing. Having this characteristic they are used to prevent weeds in gardens, mainly in large agricultural operations. Canola oil is made with a mustard family plant. Some mustard seeds make a good substitute for black pepper. Mustard plasters are used to relieve chest congestion.

There are many Mustard family plants grown in the garden; Broccoli, cauliflower, Brussel sprouts, Cabbage, Turnips, Radishes, Kale, Kohlrabi, Rhutabega, and others. The characteristics described in this video can be seen in the cultivated garden varieties as well. Taking a plant one is already familiar with, such as a household plant or garden variety, and examining the characteristics is a great way to quickly become familiar with a plant family and the patterns it features.

Tags: Thlaspi arvense plant use and identification pennycress biodiesel How to identify plants by flower "dissect flower" "mustard plant family" "species identification" research "Latin name" "flower pattern" racemes "seed structure" stem "four sepals" "four petals" "six stamen" "four long two short" pistil Brassica Brassicaceae Cruciferae "cabbage family of plants" familiar learn Hesperis matronalis Dames rocket described growing characteristic "plant identification" horticulture wild crafting Flowers

 

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Created: 1/3/2012

Last Updated:

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