The Brassicaceae are trees, shrubs or herbs comprising about 419 genera and 4,130 species. The leaves are alternate or rarely opposite and typically are simple but may be deeply parted to palmately or rarely pinnately compound; stipules lacking or generally small. The flowers are bisexual and actinomorphic or occasionally zygomorphic. The perianth consists of a calyx of 4 distinct sepals and typically a corolla of 4 distinct petals that are commonly clawed and diagonally disposed. The androecium sometimes has numerous stamens but typically consists of 6 and these are frequently of two lengths (4 long inner stamens and 2 short outer stamens = tetradynamous). The gynoecium is often stipitate and usually consists of 2 carpels that are generally separated by a persistent false partition called a replum. The superior ovary is usually 2-loculed and bears few to many ovules on parietal placentae. The fruit is usually a capsule, the two valves of which separate at maturity, leaving the ovules attached to the persistent replum. Long, narrow fruits of this family are called siliques, short broad ones are called silicles.
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