Chorispora is a genus of flowering plants in the mustard family (Brassicaceae), order Brassicales. It comprises 13 accepted species of herbaceous plants native to Eurasia, with a natural range spanning from southeastern Europe through the Arabian Peninsula and eastward to China and Siberia.
The most widely known member of the genus is Chorispora tenella, commonly called purple mustard, blue mustard, musk mustard, or crossflower. While native to Eurasia, it has become established as an introduced species across temperate regions of the world, where it is often regarded as a noxious weed. The genus also includes species such as Chorispora persica from the Middle East, Chorispora sibirica from Siberia, Chorispora bungeana from Central Asia, and Chorispora tenella, the type of which was described by Peter Simon Pallas and placed in the genus by Augustin Pyramus de Candolle.
As members of Brassicaceae, Chorispora species share the family's characteristic four-petaled, cross-shaped flowers. The genus is relatively small and understudied compared to larger Brassicaceae genera, with its species distributed across steppe, montane, and arid regions of temperate Asia and adjacent Europe.
Distribution
Chorispora is native to Eurasia, with its natural range extending from southeastern Europe eastward through the Arabian Peninsula, Central Asia, and China to Siberia (Wikipedia). One species, Chorispora tenella, has become widely introduced as a noxious weed in temperate regions worldwide.
Taxonomy
Chorispora belongs to the family Brassicaceae (order Brassicales, class Magnoliopsida, phylum Angiospermae, kingdom Plantae; GBIF). Thirteen species are accepted within the genus (Wikipedia). GBIF's backbone taxonomy records 4 descendant taxa for the genus. The genus includes annual and perennial herbaceous species distributed across diverse temperate and arid habitats.
