1. Lunaria annua L. (honesty, money-plant, silver dollar)

Map 1371

Plants biennial or rarely annual, terrestrial, pubescent with unbranched hairs. Stems (20–)50–120 cm tall, erect, branched, sparsely to moderately pubescent with short, spreading hairs, the upper portion sometimes nearly glabrous. Leaves 2–15 cm long, gradually reduced in size toward the stem tip, alternate or sometimes lowermost opposite, petiolate or uppermost sometimes sessile, cordate at the base and slightly clasping the stem, the margins toothed, the surfaces sparsely hairy. Inflorescences racemes or panicles, the lower branches subtended by reduced leaves. Sepals 6–10 mm long, erect, oblong, the inner pair often pouched at the base. Petals broadly obovate, (15–)17–30 mm long, not lobed, purple to lavender. Styles 4–10 mm long. Fruits (2.0–)2.5–4.5 cm long, about as long as wide or less than 2 times as long as wide, broadly oblong to ovate, strongly flattened parallel to the septum, valves with an obscure midnerve, often glabrous, the fruit stalk above the attachment of the perianth slender and 7–18 mm long, the septum membranous, dehiscing longitudinally. Seeds in 2 rows in each locule, 4–8 per locule, 7–10 mm long, kidney-shaped, winged all around, strongly flattened, grayish brown. 2n=30. April–June.

Introduced, known thus far only from Cape Girardeau County (native of Europe, introduced sporadically in North America). Margins and openings of mesic upland forests; also gardens and open, disturbed areas.

This species is widely cultivated as an ornamental for its attractive flowers, but especially for the attractive infructescences, which are used in dried arrangements and bouquets after the removal of the fruit valves and seeds. The seeds are sometimes used in Europe as a condiment.