Annual, with a slender (not tuberous) tap root, erect, simple or branched, 20-60 cm tall, roughly hispid below and somewhat glaucous above. Lower leaves lyrate-pinnatifid, 1-4 jugate, with a large rounded terminal lobe; upper leaves smaller, oblong, pinnately lobed or toothed. Racemes and flowers ± similar to the following species. Siliquae (15-) 20-60 mm long, 3-5(-7) mm broad, ± constricted between 3-8 seeds and ending into a slender beak; valves firm and readily breaking into 1-seeded parts; seeds ovoid or spherical, 1.5-2.5 mm in diam.
Fl. Per.: Jan.-April.
Type: Described from Europe, Herb. Linn. no. 846/4 (LINN).
Distribution: Europe, N. Africa, S.W. Asia. Introduced elsewhere.
The ‘wild radish’ is perhaps, not wild anywhere within our area, but found as weed or sometimes cultivated for green fodder or ornamental purposes. Its subsp. rostratus (DC) Thell. (R. rostratus DC., Syst. Nat. 2:666.1821) with long beaked fruits, may also be found cultivated, but should not be confused with the var. caudatus of the following species.
