Alyssum L.
Annual to perennial, taprooted herbs. Hairs branched or stellate, rarely mixed with unbranched hairs, rarely scaly. Stems decumbent to erect, leafy. Lvs simple; margin entire. Racemes ebracteate. Sepals erecto-patent, not saccate. Petals yellow, entire, emarginate or 2-fid. Stamens 6, usually appendaged. Lateral nectaries 4, rounded to filiform on both sides of short stamens; median nectaries 0. Style short; stigma capitate or emarginate. Silicle orbicular or obovate, usually emarginate, inflated or flat, latiseptate, dehiscent; valves usually not veined or with faint median vein. Seeds flattened, usually winged, 1-2-(6) per locule, loosely arranged.
Key
100 spp., Mediterranean region, some in C. Europe to C. Asia. Naturalised spp. 2.
