Bursa bursa-pastoris (L.) Britton var. bifida Crép.
Bursa gracilis Gren.
Capsella rubella Reut.
Thlaspi bursa-pastoris L.
Capsella bursa-pastoris (L.) Medik.
Shepherd’s-purse
Native to Eurasia, now introduced worldwide, shepherd’s purse is naturalized nearly everywhere.
Plants: Plants are 4–20″ (10–50 cm) tall. Most of the leaves are basal, but there are a few pointed leaves on the stem.
Leaves: Leaves are a basal rosette, ½–4″ long ⨉ 1/16–⅞″ wide (1.5–10 cm ⨉ 2–25 mm), serrated, and fuzzy below. They are reminiscent of dandelion leaves. Stem leaves are narrow oblongs, or lanceolate or linear.
Flowers: Loose racemes of small white flowers, each 1/16″ (2.5 mm) in size, have four petals and six stamens.
Fruits: Dry capsules ⅛–¼″ (4–9 mm) long are heart-shaped, resembling the leather purses shepherds used during the Middle Ages, hence the common name. Each seedpod has about 20 shiny, ovoid-oblong seeds, yellow to reddish brown in color.
Habitats: Distrubed habitats, meadows, roadsides, and fields.
Edibility: Seeds can be ground into flour or roasted whole, and used in soups and stews. Leaves are edible, raw or cooked.
Online References:
Bursa bursa-pastoris (L.) Britton
Bursa bursa-pastoris (L.) Britton var. bifida Crép.
Bursa gracilis Gren.
Capsella rubella Reut.
Thlaspi bursa-pastoris L.
Bursa bursa-pastoris (L.) Britton var. bifida Crép.
Bursa gracilis Gren.
Capsella rubella Reut.
Thlaspi bursa-pastoris L.
6/16/2010 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton Center, Groton, Massachusetts · ≈ 6 × 9″ (14 × 22 cm) 
5/24/2010 · Eastern Promenade, Portland, Maine · ≈ 7 × 9″ (18 × 22 cm) 
5/24/2010 · Eastern Promenade, Portland, Maine · ≈ 7 × 8″ (18 × 21 cm) 
| Kingdom | Plantae | Plants, but not fungi, lichens, or algae (from Stearn's Botanical Latin) |
| Subkingdom | Tracheobionta | Vascular plants—plants with a “circulatory system” for delivering water and nutrients |
| Division | Magnoliophyta | Flowering plants, also known as angiosperms |
| Class | Magnoliopsida | Dicotyledons—plants with two initial seed leaves |
| Subclass | Rosidae | Roses, legumes, proteas, dogwoods, hydrangeas, mistletoes, euphorbias, grapes, many more |
| Order | Brassicales | Mustard, cabbage, caper, papaya, nasturtiums, many others; most produce mustard oil |
| Family | Brassicaceae | Mustards, cabbages |
| Genus | Capsella | Latin for “a little box” |
| Species | bursa-pastoris | Literally, a shepherd’s purse |
Capsella bursa-pastoris description by Thomas H. Kent, not updated.
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