Rorippa laciniata
(F.Muell.) L.A.S.Johnson Jagged Bitter-cressPerennial, to 40 cm high, ascending to erect. Leaves mostly basal, petiolate, usually linear-lanceolate, pinnately lobed, or toothed or entire, to 10 cm long, with scattered, short marginal hairs; stem leaves few and narrow. Sepals 2–4 mm long; petals 4–5.5 mm long, white; stamens 4. Fruit erect to spreading, linear, straight, 20–45 mm long (excluding style), 1.5–2 mm wide; style less than 2 mm long; pedicels spreading, 5–40 mm long; seeds in 1 row per locule, coat spongy, sticky to mucilaginous when wet. Flowers spring–autumn.
LoM, MuM, Wim, GleP, VVP, VRiv, MSB, RobP, MuF, GipP, OtP, WaP, Gold, CVU, GGr, DunT, NIS, EGL, EGU, WPro, HSF, MonT, VAlp. Also SA, Qld, NSW, ACT. Widespread in a range of moist to wet habitats across the State, recently rediscovered in the Melbourne area (at Taylors Lakes).
Leaves variable in shape, but not as deeply dissected as those of R. eustylis. Like R. eustylis the seeds of R. laciniata have a spongy coat, but they are arranged in 1 rather than 2 rows per locule and have a distinct wing.
Entwisle, T.J. (1996). Brassicaceae. In: Walsh, N.G.; Entwisle, T.J., Flora of Victoria Vol. 3, Dicotyledons Winteraceae to Myrtaceae, pp. 399–459. Inkata Press, Melbourne.
Spinning
