Turritis glabra   Tower Mustard RR DD N

Arabis glabra Arabis glabra leaves

This is one of those plants whose intrinsic structure makes it difficult to photograph. The flowers are small white crucifers at the top of a tall mostly leafless stem. If you manage to get the whole plant in focus, which is hard if there is any breeze at all, then the flowers will be too small to see but if you photograph just the flowers as I have done here, then you don't get the true picture of what the plant looks like. The glabrous (bald) slightly glaucous (bluish, green) leaves have no stems and clasp the stem.

It is found dotted here and there in England with little to be found in Scotland or Wales and none in Ireland. Its stronghold is East Anglia where this one was photographed.

The name has recently changed (New Flora of the British Isles Third Edition by Clive Stace 2010) from Arabis glabra to Turritis glabra.

Breckland 18th June 2005

Added on 20th Sept 2005, updated 2nd Oct 2008, updated 27th Feb 2010, updated Se3 25th April 2010, updated 18th Feb 2012

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