Alyssum desertorum Stapf

Alyssum species are suberect or decumbent annual or short-lived perennial herbs. Stem several, simple or branched with covered with short stellate hairs. Leaves simple, alternate, rosulate, basal leaves linear oblong, margin entire, shortly petiolate or sessile. Cauline leaves attenuate, margin entire, shortly petiolate or sessile, exstipulate. Inflorescence racemes or corymbose, many flowered, dense, lax, ebracteate. Flowers bisexual, white or pale yellow, actinomorphic, pedicellate, sepals 4, usually free, oblong, base not saccate, petals 4, alternating the sepals, oblong spathulate, apex obtuse or emarginate, pubescent or glabrous, about twice as long the sepals. Stamens 6, free, filaments filiform or winged at the base, anthers short, oblong or obtuse, apex obtuse or not, nectar glands 4, each on the lateral side of the stamen, ovary superior, bicarpellary, syncarpous, ovules 1-8, basal, style short, stigma slightly bifid. Fruit siliqua, dehiscent to indehiscent, suborbicular, membranous septum, broad. Seeds 1-2, biseriate, winged or not, orbicular or ovate, laterally compressed.

Alyssum species flowers are complete, bisexual, i.e., with functional male (androecium) and female (gynoecium), including stamens, carpels and ovary. Pollination is entomophilous i.e., by insects, or cleistogamy i.e., by self or allogamy i.e., by cross pollination. Flowering/Fruiting: March-September.

Seeds may be dispersed by autochory i.e., self dispersal, anemochory i.e., wind dispersal, zoochory i.e., dispersal by birds or animals, anthropochory i.e., dispersal by humans.

Annual or short-lived perennial herbs, grayish green about 5- 30 cm tall. Rootstocks linear taproot. Stem several, simple or branched from the base, with densely covered with short stellate hairs. Leaves simple, alternate, linear oblong or linear oblanceolate, about 10-25 x 1-5 mm across, base attenuate, margin entire, subsessile or sessile, exstipulate. Inflorescence racemes or corymbose, 30-40 flowered, dense, lax, ebracteate. Flowers bisexual, dull white or pale yellow, actinomorphic, about 1.8-2 mm across, pedicel about 3 mm long, sepals 4, usually free, oblong, caducous, about 1.5 mm long, petals 4, alternating the sepals, oblong spathulate, apex obscurely emarginate, sparsely hairy outside, about 2.5-3 mm long. Stamens 6, free, abouty 1.5-2 mm long, filaments of outer stamens scale-like, filiform, anthers short, oblong or obtuse, nectar glands 4, each on the lateral side of the stamen, ovary superior, bicarpellary, syncarpous, ovules 1-8, basal, style about 0.5 mm long, stigma slightly bifid. Fruit siliqua, dehiscent to indehiscent, suborbicular, membranous septum, broad, about 2.5-3.5 mm in diameter, valves uniformly tumid with flat narrow margins. Seeds 2 in locule, biseriate, winged or not, orbicular or ovate, laterally compressed, about 1 mm long.

Alyssum species are susceptible to insect pests, powdery mildews and rusts.

Northwest Himalayas, altitude about 2600 m.

Not evaluated (IUCN).

Fodder for livestock.