Introductory
SPECIES: Sisymbrium linifolium | Flaxleaf Plainsmustard 



ABBREVIATION : 
SISLIN

SYNONYMS : 
   Schoenocrambe decumbens Rydb.
   Schoenocrambe linifolia (Nutt.) Green
   Schoenocrambe linifolia var. pinnata A. Nelson
   Schoenocrambe pinnata Green


SCS PLANT CODE : 
   SCLI


COMMON NAMES : 
   flaxleaf plainsmustard


TAXONOMY : 
The fully documented scientific name of flaxleaf plainsmustard is
Sisymbrium linifolium Nutt.  The taxonomy presented here follows that of
Holmgren and Reveal [4], who recognize no varieties or forms.  According
to Hitchcock and Cronquist [3], morphological variability in this
species does not lend itself to the designation of infraspecific taxa.


LIFE FORM : 
Forb

FEDERAL LEGAL STATUS : 
No special status

OTHER STATUS : 
NO-ENTRY


COMPILED BY AND DATE : 
N. McMurray/February 1987


LAST REVISED BY AND DATE : 
NO-ENTRY


AUTHORSHIP AND CITATION : 
McMurray, Nancy E. 1987. Sisymbrium linifolium. In: Remainder of Citation

DISTRIBUTION AND OCCURRENCE
SPECIES: Sisymbrium linifolium | Flaxleaf Plainsmustard 



GENERAL DISTRIBUTION : 
Flaxleaf plainsmustard occurs east of the Cascades from British Columbia
south through Nevada and east to Montana and New Mexico [3].


ECOSYSTEMS : 
   FRES29  Sagebrush
   FRES30  Desert shrub


STATES : 
     AZ  CO  ID  MT  NV  NM  OR  UT  WA  WY
     AB  BC


ADMINISTRATIVE UNITS : 
     BICA  BLCA  BRCA  COLM  DINO  FOBU
     GLCA  MEVE


BLM PHYSIOGRAPHIC REGIONS : 
    5  Columbia Plateau
    6  Upper Basin and Range
    8  Northern Rocky Mountains
    9  Middle Rocky Mountains
   10  Wyoming Basin
   11  Southern Rocky Mountains
   12  Colorado Plateau


KUCHLER PLANT ASSOCIATIONS : 
   K038  Great Basin sagebrush
   K040  Saltbush - greasewood
   K055  Sagebrush steppe


SAF COVER TYPES : 
NO-ENTRY


SRM (RANGELAND) COVER TYPES : 
NO-ENTRY


HABITAT TYPES AND PLANT COMMUNITIES : 
Flaxleaf plainsmustard is a component of early seral communities.  Its
occurrence is not cited in the sagebrush-grassland habitat types or
communities described in the literature.

VALUE AND USE
SPECIES: Sisymbrium linifolium | Flaxleaf Plainsmustard 



WOOD PRODUCTS VALUE : 
NO-ENTRY


IMPORTANCE TO LIVESTOCK AND WILDLIFE : 
NO-ENTRY


PALATABILITY : 
NO-ENTRY


NUTRITIONAL VALUE : 
NO-ENTRY


COVER VALUE : 
NO-ENTRY


VALUE FOR REHABILITATION OF DISTURBED SITES : 
NO-ENTRY


OTHER USES AND VALUES : 
NO-ENTRY


MANAGEMENT CONSIDERATIONS : 
NO-ENTRY

BOTANICAL AND ECOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS
SPECIES: Sisymbrium linifolium | Flaxleaf Plainsmustard 



GENERAL BOTANICAL CHARACTERISTICS : 
Flaxleaf plainsmustard is a rhizomatous, native, perennial forb.  Stems
are usually broomlike in appearance, simple to loosely branched, and
erect to somewhat decumbent, and typically range from 8 to 27 inches
(2-7 dm) in height [3].  The basal leaves are usually deciduous by
anthesis.  A large, branched caudex is characteristic of most plants.


RAUNKIAER LIFE FORM : 
   Hemicryptophyte


REGENERATION PROCESSES : 
Abundant, nonmucilaginous seed is produced in nearly erect siliques,
which range from 1 to 2 inches (2.5-5 cm) in length [3].  Plants also
regenerate from perennating buds located on caudices and rhizomes.  The
degree to which a rhizomatous habit is developed is unclear.
Apparently, resprouting via rhizomes is responsible for the dramatic
spread of flaxleaf following fire [7].


SITE CHARACTERISTICS : 
Flaxleaf plainsmustard typically grows on sagebrush plains and lower
mountain slopes throughout the Intermountain region [3,7].  This species
is somewhat tolerant of saline soils [9].


SUCCESSIONAL STATUS : 
This species' ability to spread rapidly following fire suggests that it
is a component of early seral situations within sagebrush-grassland
communities [P*others].


SEASONAL DEVELOPMENT : 
Elongate racemes of yellow flowers bloom in May and June [H&c].

FIRE ECOLOGY
SPECIES: Sisymbrium linifolium | Flaxleaf Plainsmustard 



FIRE ECOLOGY OR ADAPTATIONS : 
Flaxleaf plainsmustard is moderately resistant to fire mortality.
Immediately following burning, plants are able to spread rapidly via
surviving rhizomes [7], but densities quickly decrease as other more
competitive species establish and/or recover.


POSTFIRE REGENERATION STRATEGY : 
   Survivor species, on-site surviving rhizomes
   Survivor species, on-site surviving caudex
   Off-site colonizer, seed carried by wind, postfire years 1-2

FIRE EFFECTS
SPECIES: Sisymbrium linifolium | Flaxleaf Plainsmustard 



IMMEDIATE FIRE EFFECT ON PLANT : 
Flaxleaf plainsmustard is readily top-killed by fires of all
intensities.  Plants are able to survive burning, however, due to
perennating buds located on caudices and rhizomes [7].


DISCUSSION AND QUALIFICATION OF FIRE EFFECT : 
NO-ENTRY


PLANT RESPONSE TO FIRE : 
Flaxleaf plainsmustard was described as undamaged following fall burns
in sagebrush-grassland communities in southeastern Idaho.  Plants spread
rapidly following burning.  Pechanec and others [7] attributed the
dramatic increase in plant numbers to the rhizomatous habit of flaxleaf;
however, it is unclear to what extent sprouts originated from
perennating buds on the caudex.

Some postfire plant establishment probably also occurs through the
germination of off-site seed.


DISCUSSION AND QUALIFICATION OF PLANT RESPONSE : 
NO-ENTRY


FIRE MANAGEMENT CONSIDERATIONS : 
NO-ENTRY

REFERENCES
SPECIES: Sisymbrium linifolium | Flaxleaf Plainsmustard 



REFERENCES : 

 .  Bernard, Stephen R.; Brown, Kenneth F. 1977. Distribution of mammals,
       reptiles, and amphibians by BLM physiographic regions and A.W. Kuchler's
       associations for the eleven western states. Tech. Note 301. Denver, CO:
       U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management. 169 p. 
       [434]

 .  Garrison, George A.; Bjugstad, Ardell J.; Duncan, Don A.; [and others].
       1977. Vegetation and environmental features of forest and range
       ecosystems. Agric. Handb. 475. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of
       Agriculture, Forest Service. 68 p.  [998]

 .  Hitchcock, C. Leo; Cronquist, Arthur. 1964. Vascular plants of the
       Pacific Northwest. Part 2: Salicaceae to Saxifragaceae. Seattle, WA:
       University of Washington Press. 597 p.  [1166]

 .  Holmgren, Arthur H.; Reveal, James L. 1966. Checklist of the vascular
       plants of the Intermountain Region. Res. Pap. INT-32. Ogden, UT: U.S.
       Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Intermountain Forest and
       Range Experiment Station. 160 p.  [1184]

 .  Kuchler, A. W. 1964. Manual to accompany the map of potential vegetation
       of the conterminous United States. Special Publication No. 36. New York:
       American Geographical Society. 77 p.  [1384]

 .  Lyon, L. Jack; Stickney, Peter F. 1976. Early vegetal succession
       following large northern Rocky Mountain wildfires. In: Proceedings, Tall
       Timbers fire ecology conference and Intermountain Fire Research Council
       fire and land management symposium; 1974 October 8-10; Missoula, MT. No.
       14. Tallahassee, FL: Tall Timbers Research Station: 355-373.  [1496]

 .  Pechanec, Joseph F.; Stewart, George; Blaisdell, James P. 1954.
       Sagebrush burning good and bad. Farmers' Bulletin No. 1948. Washington,
       DC: U.S. Department of Agriculture. 34 p.  [1859]

 .  Raunkiaer, C. 1934. The life forms of plants and statistical plant
       geography. Oxford: Clarendon Press. 632 p.  [2843]

 .  U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Region.
       1983. Plant associations (habitat types) of Region 2.,3rd ed. Lakewood,
       CO. 224 p.  [2385]

.  U.S. Department of Agriculture, Soil Conservation Service. 1982.
       National list of scientific plant names. Vol. 1. List of plant names.
       SCS-TP-159. Washington, DC. 416 p.  [11573]

Related categories for Species: Sisymbrium linifolium | Flaxleaf Plainsmustard