Some Common Plants of Upper Newport Bay

Black Mustard  (Brassica nigra)
Plant: Erect branching annual reaching 3 to 8 feet tall.  Cultivated for its seeds which are the source for the condiment.  May have been introduced by the Franciscan Padres who scattered them to mark  El Camino Real.  Very invasive.  Common.
Flowers: Bright yellow appear on small stems at the ends of the branches.  Wild Radish flowers are white, lavender,or yellow with rose or purple veins.
Seed Pod: Narrow, about an inch long, ending in a round beak, pressed against the main stem.
Leaf: Lower leaves are parted with a large lobe at the end, 4 to 8 inches long.  Upper ones are much smaller.
Flowering period:   February to July
Can be found here: Too many places
Native Plant: No Halophyte: No
Family Name: Mustard
Click on Picture for enlarged version
Similar Species:  Other Mustards, Wild Radish
Date: 12/27/2009