Rorippa is a globally distributed genus in the family Brassicaceae, with species occurring on all continents except for Antarctica. Rorippa species are natively distributed in the Northern Hemisphere through Eurasia and North America, and dispersed into the Southern Hemisphere through long-distance dispersal. Rorippa species are annual to perennial herbs, usually with yellow flowers and a peppery flavour. They are known commonly as yellowcresses.
Description
As a close relative of Arabidopsis, Rorippa has emerged as a group of valuable model organisms for investigating various biological processes. Researchers have utilized Rorippa to study developmental phenomena such as heterophylly, weediness, and vegetative regeneration. For example, heterophylly is the ability of plants to produce different leaf forms in response to contrasting environments, such as aerial or submerged conditions. This may incur anatomical or physiological changes and facilitate adaptation to the amphibious lifestyle in Rorippa,
Additionally, Rorippa has been employed to explore stress tolerance mechanisms, including responses to submergence, heavy metals, high-altitudes, and herbivory (specifically the mustard aphid). For example, Rorippa amphibia can escape submergence through elongation, while Rorippa sylvestris or Rorippa palustris can photosynthesize underwater and exhibits a hyponastic response (positive growth response to gravity), demonstrating a quiescence strategy (a period of reduced activity during unfavorable conditions).
Furthermore, Rorippa has served as a model system for studying biological invasion, with research focusing on evolutionary, ecological, and historical aspects.
Ecology
Most Rorippa species thrive in moist or wet environments like ditches, meadows, waterfronts, and wetlands, highlighting their exceptional tolerance to flooding. This facilitates the dispersal of their seeds or vegetative propagules by floods over short to long ranges. For example, their fruits...
