1.
Matthiola incana
(Linnaeus) W. T. Aiton in W. Aiton and W. T. Aiton, Hortus Kew. 4: 119. 1812. (as Mathiola).
Cheiranthus incanus
Linnaeus, Sp. Pl. 2: 662. 1753
Biennials or perennials, rarely annuals;
usually densely tomentose.
Stems
erect, (1-) 2.5-6(-9) dm, (unbranched or branched distally), often tomentose.
Basal leaves
often in vegetative rosettes.
Cauline leaves
shortly petiolate or sessile; blade linear-oblanceolate, narrowly oblong, or lanceolate, (2.5-) 4-16(-22) cm × (5-)8-18(-25) mm (smaller distally), base attenuate to cuneate, margins usually entire or repand, rarely sinuate.
Fruiting pedicels
ascending, straight or slightly curved, (6-)10-20(-25) mm, thinner than fruit.
Flowers:
sepals linear-lanceolate to narrowly oblong, 10-15 × 2-3 mm; petals purple, violet, pink, or white, obovate to ovate, 20-30 × 7-15 mm, claw 10-17 mm (margin not crisped), apex rounded or emarginate; filaments 5-8 mm; anthers 3-4 mm.
Fruits
divaricate-ascending to suberect, latiseptate, (4-)6-12(-15) cm × (3-)4-6 mm; valves densely pubescent; style 1-5 mm; stigma without horns.
Seeds
orbicular or nearly so, 2.5-3.2 mm diam.; wing 0.2-0.5 mm.
2
n
= 14.
Flowering Mar-Jun. Ocean cliffs and bluffs, sandy areas near beaches, roadsides, abandoned gardens; 0-300 m; introduced; Calif., Tex.; Europe; introduced also elsewhere in the New World, Australia.
Matthiola incana
is widely cultivated worldwide for its attractive, highly scented flowers.
