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''Erysimum scoparium'' is a
species In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate s ...
of
flowering plant Flowering plants are plants that bear flowers and fruits, and form the clade Angiospermae (), commonly called angiosperms. The term "angiosperm" is derived from the Greek words ('container, vessel') and ('seed'), and refers to those plants th ...
in the family Brassicaceae, native to the
Canary Islands The Canary Islands (; es, Canarias, ), also known informally as the Canaries, are a Spanish autonomous community and archipelago in the Atlantic Ocean, in Macaronesia. At their closest point to the African mainland, they are west of Morocc ...
. It is a shrubby species of
wallflower ''Erysimum'', or wallflower, is a genus of flowering plants in the cabbage family, Brassicaceae. It includes more than 150 species, both popular garden plants and many wild forms. The genus ''Cheiranthus'' is sometimes included here in whole o ...
with purplish flowers found at high altitudes.


Description

''Erysimum scoparium'' is a small shrubby
perennial plant A perennial plant or simply perennial is a plant that lives more than two years. The term ('' per-'' + '' -ennial'', "through the years") is often used to differentiate a plant from shorter-lived annuals and biennials. The term is also wide ...
. It has stiff, linear to slightly pointed leaves. The flowers are arranged on upright stems. They darken to a purplish colour as they mature. The seed pods ( siliquae) are held more or less erect and have brown seeds. A subspecies, ''E. scoparium'' subsp. ''cinereum'' has been distinguished by its more erect habit and longer
inflorescence An inflorescence is a group or cluster of flowers arranged on a stem that is composed of a main branch or a complicated arrangement of branches. Morphologically, it is the modified part of the shoot of seed plants where flowers are formed o ...
s. Plants from Gran Canaria have broader leaves and dark brown rather than yellowish brown seeds, and have been separated as ''E. albescens'' by some sources. File:Erysimum scoparium.jpg, Flowers File:Erysimum scoparium kz6.jpg, Seedpods


Taxonomy

''Erysimum scoparium'' was first described, as ''Cheiranthus scoparius'', by Pierre Broussonet in 1809. It was transferred to the genus ''
Erysimum ''Erysimum'', or wallflower, is a genus of flowering plants in the cabbage family, Brassicaceae. It includes more than 150 species, both popular garden plants and many wild forms. The genus ''Cheiranthus'' is sometimes included here in whole o ...
'' by Richard Wettstein in 1889. ''Erysimum albescens'' has been distinguished from ''E. scoparium'' by some sources, but this is not accepted by others.


Distribution and habitat

''Erysimum scoparium'' is
endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found elsew ...
to the
Canary Islands The Canary Islands (; es, Canarias, ), also known informally as the Canaries, are a Spanish autonomous community and archipelago in the Atlantic Ocean, in Macaronesia. At their closest point to the African mainland, they are west of Morocc ...
. It is found in montane zones in
Tenerife Tenerife (; ; formerly spelled ''Teneriffe'') is the largest and most populous island of the Canary Islands. It is home to 43% of the total population of the archipelago. With a land area of and a population of 978,100 inhabitants as of Janu ...
, up to altitudes of 1600–2200 m in
Las Cañadas Teide, or Mount Teide, ( es, El Teide, Pico del Teide, , "Peak of Teide") is a volcano on Tenerife in the Canary Islands, Spain. Its summit (at ) is the highest point in Spain and the highest point above sea level in the islands of the Atlan ...
, and 300–500 m in the Valle del Santiado del Teide (subsp. ''cinereum''). It is also found in mountainous regions of La Palma. When ''E. albescens'' is included in ''E. scoparium'', the latter's distribution extends to Gran Canaria, where it is found in dry habitats and pine forest at elevations of 1400–1800 m.


References

{{Taxonbar, from1=Q8777476, from2=Q15542622 scoparium Endemic flora of the Canary Islands