Summary ⁶

Hoary Alyssum (Berteroa incana) in an annual or short-lived perennial forb native to east central Europe and west Asia. It has tiny star-shaped hairs on the stems, leaves, sepals, and seed pods. Leaves are narrow, lanceolate, and alternate. Flowers have four white, notched petals and are clustered at the stem tips. It blooms and goes to seed spring through fall, depending on water availability. The plant reproduces only by seed and forms a persistent seed bank and seeds can remain dormant and viable for several years.

Source:
https://www.colorado.gov/pacific/agconservation/hoary-alyssum

Identification ⁷

Shape: Upright forb
Flowers: White, four notched petals, clustered at the stem tips, blooms and goes to seed spring through fall
Stems: Upright, single or multiple stems, finely hairy
Leaves: Narrow, lanceolate, and alternate
Fruit: Hairy seed pod
Toxic: Yes, toxic to horses if forage is >30% contaminated

Source:
https://www.colorado.gov/pacific/agconservation/hoary-alyssum

Origin/ Habitat ⁷

Hoary Alyssum is native to east-central Europe and west Asia. It has low water requirements and can tolerate dry conditions. It is adapted to dry, sandy, gravely soils, but is opportunistic and can also invade cropland, pastures, and disturbed areas.

Source:
https://www.colorado.gov/pacific/agconservation/hoary-alyssum

Sources and Credits

1. (c) M.M. R, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), http://www.flickr.com/photos/46774986@N02/6163899754
2. (c) Emily Shosh, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Emily Shosh
3. (c) gediminas, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by gediminas
4. (c) sonnrain, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by sonnrain
5. (c) Matt Lavin, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Berteroa_incana_(3313515155).jpg
6. Adapted by Colorado Parks and Wildlife from a work by (c) Wikipedia, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Berteroa_incana
7. (c) Colorado Parks and Wildlife, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA)

More Info

• iNat taxon page
• Biodiversity Heritage Library
• BOLD Systems BIN search
• Calflora
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• eFloras.org
• Flora of North America (beta)
• Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF)
• Go Botany
• HOSTS - a Database of the World's Lepidopteran Hostplants
• IPNI (with links to POWO, WFO, and BHL)
• Jepson eFlora
• Maryland Biodiversity Project
• NatureServe Explorer 2.0
• NBN Atlas
• OregonFlora.org
• SEINet Symbiota portals
• Tropicos
• USDA PLANTS database
• VASCAN by Canadensys
• World Flora Online
• 日本のレッドデータ検索システム
• 植物和名−学名インデックス YList

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