This insignificant little annual crucifer is now famous for being the first plant to have its entire genome elucidated. It is a common weed of paths and stony ground and appears in late winter early spring, disappearing completely from its first flowering position by summer. New seedlings soon spring up however and if you search you can usually find A. thaliana somewhere, except in the depths of a bad winter. The flowering stems spring up quickly from a rosette of leaves which are similar to Capsella bursa-pastoris (Shepherd's purse) or Erophila verna (Common Whitlowgrass). Since they all tend to grow in the same habitats and at the same time of year, it is safest to wait until the flowers and fruit appear before trying to identify any of them

LHS: Garden path, Cheshire, 20th January 2005 RHS Red Rocks N.R. Wirral 29th April 2005

Added on January 20th 2005, updated 2nd October 2008, updated 27th Feb 2010, updated 10th November 2014