# Garlic Penny-Cress (*mummenhoffia alliacea*) Garlic Penny-Cress (Mummenhoffia alliacea) is an intriguing annual or biennial herbaceous plant belonging to the mustard family (Brassicaceae). It is particularly known for the distinct garlicky aroma emitted when its leaves are crushed, a natural defense mechanism against herbivores. This species serves as a resilient pioneer in disturbed environments, demonstrating adaptability and a capacity for rapid colonization. Despite its commonality, its unique combination of small white flowers and characteristic disc-shaped seed pods, alongside its potent scent, makes it an engaging subject for those interested in botany and the diverse strategies plants employ for survival and reproduction. - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 1 - **Habitat:** Garlic Penny-Cress thrives in disturbed ground, open woodlands, forest edges, cultivated fields, roadsides, and waste areas, often preferring nutrient-rich, well-drained soils. ![Garlic Penny-Cress](https://inaturalist-open-data.s3.amazonaws.com/photos/35351468/medium.jpg) Photo: Bill Keim, CC BY 4.0 · [iNaturalist](https://www.inaturalist.org/photos/35351468) ## Appearance This slender plant typically grows 15-40 cm tall, featuring upright stems that can be branched. Basal leaves are often spatulate to ovate and form a rosette, while stem leaves are smaller, sessile, and clasping, with finely toothed margins. The small, cruciform (four-petaled) white flowers are arranged in dense terminal racemes. The most distinctive identifying feature, apart from the garlicky scent, are the mature fruits: flattened, orbicular to oval, winged silicles that resemble small, green to light brown pennies, giving the plant its 'penny-cress' moniker. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Magnoliopsida - **Order:** Brassicales - **Family:** Brassicaceae - **Genus:** Mummenhoffia ## Interesting facts - Despite its strong aroma, Garlic Penny-Cress is not typically used as a culinary herb and is more often regarded as a weed in gardens and agricultural fields. - The 'penny' in its common name refers to the plant's unique, flat, and round seed pods, which resemble old European coins. - The distinctive garlic-like scent is produced by glucosinolates, sulfur-containing compounds common in the mustard family, which break down to release volatile defense chemicals. - The genus name 'Mummenhoffia' was established relatively recently in 2011, honoring Professor Klaus Mummenhoff, a German botanist known for his work on Brassicaceae. ## Special abilities - **Garlic Scent Defense:** Upon physical damage or crushing, the plant releases a strong garlic-like odor due to sulfur compounds, effectively deterring many generalist herbivores. - **Rapid Colonization:** As an annual or biennial, it produces a large number of seeds, enabling it to quickly establish and colonize disturbed or bare ground, acting as an effective pioneer species. - **Environmental Adaptability:** It demonstrates high resilience, capable of growing in a wide range of soil types and varying light conditions, from full sun to partial shade, which contributes to its widespread presence. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 15-40 cm - **Weight:** 0.01-0.05 kg - **Lifespan:** 1-2 years - **Clutch Size:** 500-5000 ## Diet & Feeding As a photosynthetic plant, Garlic Penny-Cress synthesizes its own food by converting sunlight, carbon dioxide, and water into sugars, while also absorbing essential nutrients from the soil through its root system. - **Primary Foods:** Sunlight, Carbon Dioxide, Water, Nitrogen compounds, Phosphorus, Potassium - **Foraging Method:** Photosynthesis And Nutrient Absorption ## Ecological connections - **Mutualism:** Honey Bee (*Apis mellifera*) — Pollinates its flowers, aiding in reproduction. - **Eaten by:** Cabbage White Butterfly (*Pieris rapae*) — Larvae feed on the foliage of Brassicales species, including penny-cress. - **Eaten by:** [Garden Snail](https://www.snappit.app/explore/garden-snail) (*Cornu aspersum*) — Generalist herbivores that consume leaves and stems. ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low No special safety notes yet. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Garlic Penny-Cress? Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is Garlic Penny-Cress? 15-40 cm ### How much does Garlic Penny-Cress weigh? 0.01-0.05 kg ### How long does Garlic Penny-Cress live? 1-2 years ### What does Garlic Penny-Cress eat? As a photosynthetic plant, Garlic Penny-Cress synthesizes its own food by converting sunlight, carbon dioxide, and water into sugars, while also absorbing essential nutrients from the soil through its root system. ### Where is Garlic Penny-Cress usually found? Garlic Penny-Cress thrives in disturbed ground, open woodlands, forest edges, cultivated fields, roadsides, and waste areas, often preferring nutrient-rich, well-drained soils. ### How does Garlic Penny-Cress hunt? Photosynthesis And Nutrient Absorption ### How many eggs does Garlic Penny-Cress lay? 500-5000 ## Where to spot - [Chadwick Arboretum](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/chadwick-arboretum) — Ohio, US · Botanical Garden ## More Plants - [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*) - [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*) - [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*) - [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*) --- Source: [Garlic Penny-Cress: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/garlic-penny-cress)