SafePlants

Alyssum alyssoides: Pale Madwort, Yellow Alyssum

Alyssum alyssoides, belonging to the mustard family (Brassicaceae), is known by several common names, including pale madwort and yellow alyssum. It is sometimes also referred to as Small Alison and Pale Alyssum.

Taxonomy and Nomenclature

• Scientific Name: Alyssum alyssoides (L.) L.
• Family: Brassicaceae (Mustard family)
• Genus: Alyssum
• Synonyms:
  • Alyssum calycinum
  • Alyssum erraticum
  • Lepidium alyssoides var. angustifolium (C. L. Hitchcock) Rollins
  • Lepidium alyssoides var. junceum Rollins
  • Lepidium alyssoides var. minus Thellung

Distribution and Habitat

• Alyssum alyssoides is native to Eurasia.
• It has been introduced and naturalized in various locations, including North America (e.g., California, Chicago Region).
• It's often found in woods, waste places, sandy areas, and as a railroad weed.
• It is also common on roadsides, parking lots, and gravel pits.

Morphological Characteristics

• It is an annual or biennial herb, sometimes considered a sub-shrub.
• Typically grows to a height of 10-30 cm.
• The plant has sprawling or ascending stems.
• Stems and leaves have hairs that are divided and spreading, resembling stars.
• Leaves are oblong in shape.
• It produces small, pale yellow flowers that often fade to whitish as they age.

Ecological Role

• Alyssum alyssoides has been grown in Britain since 1740 and was first recorded in the wild in 1838.
• It is an introduced species in some regions, and it can naturalize in the wild.

Interactions with Other Organisms

• Alyssoides utriculata, a related species, has shown potential for nickel phytoremediation, indicating an interaction with soil minerals.

Quirky Facts

• The genus name Alyssum and the common name Alison originate from the use of a plant called 'alysson' as a cure for hiccups in the First Century AD.
• Vernalization (exposure to prolonged cold) is not an absolute requirement for flowering, but it can influence the plant's development.

Further Information

• The Plant List includes information on Alyssoides species: [The Plant List](link to theplantlist.org - not provided in text).
• Discover Life provides information about Lepidium alyssoides: [Discover Life](link to discoverlife.org - not provided in text).
• Wikimedia Commons has multimedia resources for Alyssum alyssoides: [Wikimedia Commons](link to wikimedia.org - not provided in text).