Angiosperms (Flowering Plants) • Earth.com

Bladder pod

(Physaria ludoviciana)

galery
en

Description

Lesquerella is the former name of a genus of flowering plants in the family Brassicaceae. Recent work has shown that Lesquerella is indistinct from the genus Physaria and both genera have been united under Physaria. In addition, the former Lesquerella of the southeastern United States have been moved to the genus Paysonia since 2002. The genus Lesquerella is now no longer applied to any species and is considered defunct. Physaria ludoviciana is a species of flowering plant in the mustard family Brassicaceae, with the common names of bladder pod, silver bladderpod,louisiana bladderpod, and foothill bladderpod. It used to be Lesquerella ludoviciana which is now a synonym. Physaria ludoviciana is a taprooted perennial, growing 6-16 inches tall. The flowers have four sepals and four yellow petals and six stamens. The leaves are simple, narrow, and covered with stellate-pilose hairs. The basal leaves are produced in a rosette. The two loculed fruits are a globe-like silicle with dense pilose hairs. Flowering occurs in early spring to mid/late summer, and some plants are polyploids. It is an endangered species in Illinois and Minnesota, and a threatened species in Wisconsin. In all three states this species is outside of its main range which is more western, growing in the dry plains. The Minnesota populations are found around Red Wing in Goodhue County; they are 500 kilometers from the species main range in the west and it is speculated it was introduction there by the long-range dispersal of a single seed or they are remnants from when the environment was drier and the species had a greater natural range. The Minnesota plants are found in dry prairie on south-facing bluffs in sandy soil originating from weathered limestone; the populations are threatened by the encroachment of woody and invasive species due to human suppression of fires. Physaria ludoviciana is avoided by grazing animals. Physaria is a genus of flowering plants in the family Brassicaceae. Many species are known generally as twinpods, bladderpods, or lesquerella. They are native to the Americas, with many species endemic to western North America. They are densely hairy annual and perennial herbs often growing prostrate or decumbent, along the ground in patches or clumps. They bear inflorescences of bright yellow flowers. The fruit is often notched deeply, dividing into twin sections, giving the genus its common name.

Taxonomic tree:

Domain:
Kingdom: Plantae
Phylum: Magnoliophyta
Class: Magnoliopsida
Order:Brassicales
Family:Brassicaceae
Genus:Physaria
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