Lunaria annua L.
Annual honesty, money plant, silver dollars
Annual honesty is native to the Balkans and southwest Asia. It has spread through North America, as well as Europe and some other parts of Asia.
Plants: 2–3′ (60–91 cm) in height, with hairy stems.
Leaves: Alternate or opposite, oval or heart-shaped, sharp-tipped, and serrated.
Flowers: Racemes of pink, magenta, or purple flowers. Each flower is about ½″ (1.3 cm) around, with four petals. Flowers appear from April to May.
Fruits: The common name “honesty” dates back to the 16th century, and may be a reference to the translucent seed pods. It is these seed pods that are the most striking identifying feature—if you encounter them in the fall, that is. The round, paper thin pods are translucent, and look silvery. Each pod, technically a silicle, is up to 2″ (5 cm) around.
Habitats: Disturbed soils, along roads, urban areas.
Photo by Rosenzweig, at Löwenstein, Baden-Württemberg, Germany. 
Online References:
7/12/2010 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton, Massachusetts · ≈ 13 × 12″ (34 × 29 cm) 
7/12/2010 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton, Massachusetts · ≈ 4½ × 3″ (11 × 7.9 cm) 
9/29/2010 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Ayer, Massachusetts · ≈ 6 × 4″ (14 × 10 cm) 
6/4/2010 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Ayer, Massachusetts · ≈ 10 × 15″ (26 × 39 cm) 
11/29/2009 · Rail Trail, Ayer, Massachusetts · ≈ 8 × 6″ (20 × 16 cm) 
7/12/2010 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton, Massachusetts · ≈ 11 × 9″ (27 × 23 cm) 
11/29/2009 · Rail Trail, Ayer, Massachusetts · ≈ 9 × 12″ (23 × 30 cm) 
7/31/2010 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton Center, Groton, Massachusetts · ≈ 9 × 9″ (23 × 22 cm) 
6/4/2010 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Ayer, Massachusetts · ≈ 7 × 6″ (16 × 14 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 | Lunaria | From Latin luna, “moon,” because the dried seed pods resemble a full moon |
| Species | annua | From Latin annua, “annual” |
Lunaria annua description by Thomas H. Kent, not updated.
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