Shepard’s Purse, Capsella bursa-pastoris
Family: Brassicaceae; Mustard Family
Vegetative Characteristics:
Seedling: hypocotyl light green to purple-tinged; cotyledons with broadly ovate to spatulate blades, slightly indented apically, stalked
Stems: erect, 10.0-50.0 cm tall, thin, unbranched or branched, covered with grayish stellate pubescence
Leaves: basal rosette, then alternate above, 4.0-12.0 cm long, 1.0-3.0 cm wide, dissected, lobed or cleft segments, auriculate-sagittate, with basal lobes extending beyond stem, stalkless, becoming smaller apically
Reproductive Characteristics:
Inflorescences: elongated raceme; pedicels to 2.0 cm long; petals 4, 2.0-4.0 mm long, white, entire, arranged in a cross; sepals 4, smaller than petals
Fruits: silique, 4.0-8.0 mm long, triangular or heart-shaped, 2-valved
Seeds: oblong, 0.8-1.2 mm long, orangish brown, minutely pitted
Special Identifying Characteristics:
⇒ erect winter annual or biennial; leaves in basal rosette, alternate and smaller apically, auriculate-sagittate; fruits triangular or heart-shaped
