''Arabis'' ,''Sunset Western Garden Book,'' 1995:606–607 or rockcress, is a

genus Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family (taxonomy), family as used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In bino ...

flowering plant Flowering plants are plants that bear flowers and fruits, and form the clade Angiospermae (). The term angiosperm is derived from the Ancient Greek, Greek words (; 'container, vessel') and (; 'seed'), meaning that the seeds are enclosed with ...

s, within the family

Brassicaceae Brassicaceae () or (the older but equally valid) Cruciferae () is a medium-sized and economically important Family (biology), family of flowering plants commonly known as the mustards, the crucifers, or the cabbage family. Most are herbaceous pla ...

Description

The species are

herbaceous Herbaceous plants are vascular plants that have no persistent woody stems above ground. This broad category of plants includes many perennials, and nearly all annuals and biennials. Definitions of "herb" and "herbaceous" The fourth edition of ...

annual Annual may refer to: *Annual publication, periodical publications appearing regularly once per year **Yearbook **Literary annual *Annual plant *Annual report *Annual giving *Annual, Morocco, a settlement in northeastern Morocco *Annuals (band), a ...

perennial plant In horticulture, the term perennial (''wikt:per-#Prefix, per-'' + ''wikt:-ennial#Suffix, -ennial'', "through the year") is used to differentiate a plant from shorter-lived annual plant, annuals and biennial plant, biennials. It has thus been d ...

s, growing to 10–80 cm tall, usually densely hairy, with simple entire to lobed

leaves A leaf (: leaves) is a principal appendage of the stem of a vascular plant, usually borne laterally above ground and specialized for photosynthesis. Leaves are collectively called foliage, as in "autumn foliage", while the leaves, stem, ...

1–6 cm long, and small white four-petaled

flower Flowers, also known as blooms and blossoms, are the reproductive structures of flowering plants ( angiosperms). Typically, they are structured in four circular levels, called whorls, around the end of a stalk. These whorls include: calyx, m ...

s. The

fruit In botany, a fruit is the seed-bearing structure in flowering plants (angiosperms) that is formed from the ovary after flowering. Fruits are the means by which angiosperms disseminate their seeds. Edible fruits in particular have long propaga ...

is a long, slender capsule containing 10-20 or more

seed In botany, a seed is a plant structure containing an embryo and stored nutrients in a protective coat called a ''testa''. More generally, the term "seed" means anything that can be Sowing, sown, which may include seed and husk or tuber. Seeds ...

s. Natural habitat for ''Arabis'' species is rocky mountain/cliff sides or dry sites. Cultivation of ''Arabis'' is best suited for rock gardens or container gardens. This genus is pollinated by members of Apieae and Lepidoptera. Arabis aculeolata 4642

Taxonomy

Though traditionally recognized as a large genus with many

Old World The "Old World" () is a term for Afro-Eurasia coined by Europeans after 1493, when they became aware of the existence of the Americas. It is used to contrast the continents of Africa, Europe, and Asia in the Eastern Hemisphere, previously ...

and

New World The term "New World" is used to describe the majority of lands of Earth's Western Hemisphere, particularly the Americas, and sometimes Oceania."America." ''The Oxford Companion to the English Language'' (). McArthur, Tom, ed., 1992. New York: ...

members, more recent evaluations of the relationships among these species using genetic data suggest there are two major groups within the old genus ''Arabis''. These two groups are not each other's closest relatives, so have been split into two separate genera. Most of the Old World members remain in the genus ''Arabis'', whereas most of the New World members have been moved into the genus ''

Boechera ''Boechera'' (rockcress) is a genus of the family Brassicaceae. It was named after the Danish botanist Tyge W. Böcher (1909–1983), who was known for his research in alpine plants, including the mustards ''Draba'' and ''Boechera holboellii''. ...

'', with only a few remaining in ''Arabis''.

Species

;Selected species *''

Arabis aculeolata ''Arabis aculeolata'' is a species of flowering plant in the mustard family known by the common name Waldo rockcress. Description This is a perennial herb growing from a tough caudex covered in large hairs and the bases of leaves shed in previo ...

'' *''

Arabis alpina ''Arabis alpina'', the Alpine rock-cress, is a flowering plant in the family Brassicaceae, native to mountainous areas of Europe, North and East Africa, Central and Eastern Asia and parts of North America. In the British Isles, it is only known t ...

'' (alpine rockcress) *''

Arabis armena ''Arabis armena'', the Armenian rockcress, is a species of rockcress that is found in Armenia and Nakhichevan (Azerbaijan). It grows at mid- and high-altitudes. It is threatened by the trampling of cattle. See also * List of ''Arabis'' spec ...

'' (Armenian rockcress) *''

Arabis auriculata ''Arabis auriculata'' is a herbaceous, flowering plant from the family Brassicaceae. It flowers from March to July. Besides the type form, René Maire described the ''Arabis auriculata'' f. ''umbrosa'' form. The species '' Draba nuda'' has been ...

'' *''

Arabis blepharophylla ''Arabis blepharophylla'' is a species of flowering plant in the family Brassicaceae, known by the common names coast rock cress and rose rock cress. It is endemic to California, growing mostly in the San Francisco Bay Area and nearby low-elevati ...

'' (coast rockcress) *''

Arabis caucasica ''Arabis caucasica'' is a species of flowering plant in the mustard family (Brassicaceae) known by the common names garden arabis, mountain rock cress or Caucasian rockcress. Distribution and habitat It is native to Crimea, Turkey, Iran, Caucas ...

'' *''

Arabis cypria ''Arabis cypria'' is a flowering plant in the family Brassicaceae, endemic to mountainous areas of Northern Cyprus. Description ''Arabis cypria'' is a tufted perennial to 25 cm, the basal leaves softly hairy, in dense rosettes, spoon-shape ...

'' *''

Arabis glabra ''Turritis glabra'', commonly known as tower rockcress or tower mustard, is a tall, slim, grey-green plant with small creamy flowers at the top of the stem. It usually grows on poor chalky or sandy soils, in open situations. It is native to Europ ...

'' (tower mustard) *''Arabis hirsuta'' (hairy rockcress) *''Arabis kazbegi'' (Kazbegian rockcress) *''Arabis kennedyae'' *''Arabis lemmonii'' *''Arabis macdonaldiana'' *''Arabis procurrens'' (spreading rock cress) *''Arabis pycnocarpa'' (slender rock cress) *''Arabis scabra'' (Bristol rockcress) *''Arabis serotina''

Cultivation

Some species, notably ''Arabis alpina'', are cultivated as ornamental plants in gardens. Many others are regarded as weeds.

References

External links

Natural History Museum
{{Authority control Arabis, Brassicaceae genera