Israel wildflowers: Sheperd’s Purse
Capsella bursa-pastoris, Sheperd’s Purse, Mother’s heart,
Hebrew: ילקוט הרועים, Arabic: كيس الراعي, Egypt: كيس الراعي “Keis El-Ra’ai”
| Scientific name: | Capsella bursa-pastoris (L.) Medicus | |
| Basionym: | Thlaspi bursa-pastoris Linnaeus 1753 | |
| Common name: | Sheperd’s Purse, Mother’s heart | |
| Hebrew name: | ילקוט הרועים | |
| Arabic name: | كيس الراعي | |
| Egypt: | كيس الراعي “Keis El-Ra’ai” | |
| Plant Family: | Cruciferae / Brassicaceae, מצליבים |
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| Life form: | Annual | |
| Life form: | To +50cm tall, herbaceous, erect, stellate pubescent, simple or branching, with a fairly large taproot | |
| Leaves: | Alternate,rosette, entire, dentate or serrate | |
| Flowers: | White, a terminal raceme to +25cm long; flower stems spreading, 1-2cm; corolla 3-4mm broad; 4 white petals, 6 stamens, attached at base of ovary; 1 very short style; 4 sepals, free, green, glabrous, oblong | |
| Fruits / Pods: | Obcordate (heart-shaped with apex in a downward direction) silique to +3mm long | |
| Flowering Period: | January, February, March, April, May, November, December | |
| Habitat: | Batha, Phrygana, Disturbed habitats | |
| Distribution: | Mediterranean Woodlands and Shrublands, Semi-steppe shrublands, Shrub-steppes, Montane vegetation of Mt. Hermon | |
| Chorotype: | Pluriregional | |
| Summer shedding: | Ephemeral |
 Derivation of the botanical name: Capsella, Latin, little box, a small box, small coffer. bursapastoris, Late Latin, bursa, βυρσα, purse; pastor, a herdsman, shepard; sheperd’s purse.
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