Arabidopsis thaliana (L.) Heynh.
mouse-ear (mouseear cress; Thale cress)
Brassicaceae (Mustard family)

Introduction to Vascular Plants

Photograph

© Virginia Skilton     (Photo ID #71406)


Map

E-Flora BC Static Map

Distribution of Arabidopsis thaliana
Click here to view the full interactive map and legend

Species Information

General:
Annual herb from a slender taproot; stems 1-several, erect, 10-40 cm tall, hairy near base with simple, spreading hairs, glabrous above.
Leaves:
Mostly in basal rosette, oblanceolate, entire or minutely dentate, 1-4 cm long, with simple and branched hairs; stem leaves lanceolate, nearly unstalked, 5-20 mm long, upper ones usually glabrous.
Flowers:
In racemes; flower stalks slender, erect to ascending, 5-10 mm long; petals white, about 3 mm long, narrowly egg-shaped; sepals approximately 1.5 mm long.
Fruits:
Siliques, linear, 10-15 mm long, less than 1 mm wide, glabrous; seeds numerous, in one row, less than 1 mm long, oblong.

SourceThe Illustrated Flora of British Columbia

Illustration

If more than one illustration is available for a species (e.g., separate illustrations were provided for two subspecies) then links to the separate images will be provided below. Note that individual subspecies or varietal illustrations are not always available.

Ecology

Ecological Framework for Arabidopsis thaliana

The table below shows the species-specific information calculated from
original data (BEC database) provided by the BC Ministry of Forests and Range.
(Updated August, 2013)

Site Information
Value / Class

Avg

Min

Max

Elevation (metres)
870 760 997
Slope Gradient (%)
22 0 73

Aspect (degrees)
[0 - N; 90 - E; 180 - S; 270 - W]

174 90 270
Soil Moisture Regime (SMR)
[0 - very xeric; 4 - mesic;
8 - hydric]
2 1 4
Modal Nutrient Regime
Class
C
# of field plots
 species was recorded in:
9
Modal BEC Zone Class
PP

All BEC Zones (# of stations/zone) species was recorded in

ICH(2), PP(6)

Habitat and Range

Mesic to dry roadsides, gardens, fields and waste places; frequent on Vancouver Island, the Gulf Islands and Lower Mainland, rare in SE and SC BC; introduced from Eurasia.

SourceThe Illustrated Flora of British Columbia

Synonyms

Synonyms and Alternate Names:
Arabis thaliana L.
Sisymbrium thalianum (L.) J. Gay & Monn.