Matthiola incana (L.) W.T. Aiton

Matthiola species are annual, biennial or perennial herbs, pubescent with simple or forked, sessile or stalked trichomes, rarely eglandular or subglabrous, not scapose. Rootstocks slender, taproot. Stem erect, ascending, decumbent, leafy, simple or branched. Basal leaves simple, rosulate or not, oblanceolate to oblong, base cuneate to attenuate, margin entire, dentate to pinnatisect, apex acute to obtuse, petiolate, cauline leaves usually gradually smaller, base not auriculate, margin entire, dentate to pinnatisect, petiole short to sessile. Inflorescence raceme corymbs, many flowered, elongated in fruit, ebracteate. Flowers bisexual, white, yellow, yellowish green, purple, pink, brownish, pedicel erect, divaricate, stout, thick, ascending, sepals 4, linear lanceolate-oblong, inner lateral pair base saccate, petals 4, obovate-oblong to spathulate, much longer than sepals, margins entire, flat or rolled inwards circinately, claw distinct. Stamens 6, tetradynamous, filaments not dilated near the base, anthers linear-oblong, nectar glands 4 when lateral, or 2 when semiannular or intrastaminal. Ovary superior, bicarpellary, ovules 10-60. Fruit siliqua, dehiscent, linear cylindrical, sessile, terete, erect or slightly curved, latiseptate, usually torulose, valves with prominent midvein, replum rounded, septum complete, style obsolete or short, stigma conical, bilobed, with or without 2 or 3 hornlike appendages. Seeds uniseriate, brown, compressed or flattened, orbicular-suborbicular, ovate-ovoid, not winged or narrowly winged, minutely reticulate, not mucilaginous when soaked, cotyledons accumbent.

Matthiola species flowers are complete, bisexual, i.e., with functional male (androecium) and female (gynoecium), including stamens, carpels and ovary. Pollination is entomophilous i.e., by insects, or cleistogamy i.e., by self or allogamy i.e., by cross pollination. Flowering/Fruiting: March—May.

Seeds may be dispersed by autochory i.e., self dispersal, anemochory i.e., wind dispersal, zoochory i.e., dispersal by birds or animals, anthropochory i.e., dispersal by humans.

Perennial or biennial herbs, densely tomentose with white stellate trichomes, about 20-75 cm tall. Rootstocks slender, taproot. Stem erect, woody near the base, ascending, leafy, simple or sparsely branched from the base, tomentose with stellate trichomes, glands subsessile to sessile. Basal leaves simple, in dense rosulate, oblanceolate-obovate to linear oblong-elliptic, about 3-9 x 0.5-2 cm across, base cuneate to attenuate, margin usually entire, rarely sinuate pinnatifid, apex acute, petiole about 0.5-2 cm long, cauline leaves gradually smaller, linear oblanceolate to narrow oblong, base not auriculate, cuneate to attenuate, margin entire, rarely sinuate dentate, petiole short to sessile.

Matthiola species are susceptible to various insect pests, virus, mildews and moulds.

Notes: Western Ghats, Cultivated, Native of Mediterranean Region

Widely cultivated in gardens.

Not evaluated (IUCN).

Widely cultivated as ornamental. Used in Ayurvedic and Unani medicines.