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globe-pod hoary-cress, hairy whitetop, white-top

lesser pepper-grass, lesser swine-cress, lesser wart-cress

Habit Perennials; (rhizomatous); often densely hirsute. Annuals; (fetid); glabrous or pilose.
Stems

simple or several from base, erect or ascending, branched distally, (1–)1.5–3.5(–5) dm.

few to several from base, erect to ascending or decumbent, branched distally, 1–4.5(–7) dm.

Basal leaves

(often withered by anthesis);

not rosulate;

petiole 0.5–1.5 cm;

blade obovate to oblanceolate, (1–)2–6(–7) cm × 3–20 mm, margins dentate to sinuate.

(soon withered);

not rosulate;

petiole 0.5–4(–6) cm;

blade 1- or 2-pinnatisect, 1–6(–8) cm, margins (of lobes) entire or dentate (sometimes deeply lobed).

Cauline leaves

sessile;

blade oblong or lanceolate, 1–5(–8) cm × (3–)5–15(–30) mm, base sagittate, margins dentate or subentire, (surfaces pubescent).

shortly petiolate to subsessile;

blade similar to basal, smaller and less divided distally, lobes lanceolate to oblong or elliptic, 1.5–3.5(–4.5) cm ×5–12 mm, base not auriculate, margins (of lobes) entire, serrate, or incised.

Racemes

(usually corymbose, rarely paniculate), rarely elongated in fruit;

rachis pubescent, trichomes often curved.

elongated in fruit;

rachis glabrous or pubescent, trichomes straight, cylindrical.

Flowers

sepals oblong, 1.4–2 × 0.7–1 mm;

petals white, broadly obovate, (2.2–)2.8–4 × 1–3 mm, claw 1–1.4 mm;

stamens 6;

filaments 2–2.5 mm, (glabrous);

anthers 0.4–0.5 mm.

sepals (tardily deciduous), ovate, 0.5–0.7(–0.9) mm;

petals white, elliptic to linear, 0.4–0.5 × ca. 0.1 mm, claw absent;

stamens 2, median;

filaments 0.3–0.6 mm;

anthers 0.1–0.2 mm.

Fruiting pedicels

divaricate to ascending, straight or slightly curved, (terete), 3–9(–12) × 0.2–0.3 mm, pubescent.

divaricate to horizontal, straight slightly recurved, (terete), 1.4–2.5(–4) × 0.15–2 mm, glabrous or sparsely pubescent adaxially.

Fruits

(indehiscent), globose or, rarely, subglobose, (2–)3–4.4(–5) mm diam., (inflated), apically not winged, apical notch absent;

valves thin, smooth, not veined, densely puberulent;

style 0.5–1.5 mm.

schizocarpic, didymous, 1.3–1.7 × 2–2.5 mm, apically not winged, apical notch 0.2–0.4 mm deep;

valves thick, rugose, strongly veined, glabrous;

style absent or obsolete, included in apical notch.

Seeds

(brown or dark brown), ovoid, 1.5–2 × 1–1.5 mm.

ovate, 1–1.2 × 0.7–0.8 mm.

2n

= 16.

= 32.

Lepidium appelianum

Lepidium didymum

Phenology Flowering May–Sep. Flowering Mar–Jul.
Habitat Roadsides, sagebrush communities, alkaline meadows, waste grounds, ditch and stream sides, fields, pastures Roadsides, waste areas, lawns, pastures, fields, gardens, disturbed areas
Elevation 400-2400 m (1300-7900 ft) 0-1000 m (0-3300 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
CA; CO; ID; MI; MO; MT; ND; NE; NM; NV; OR; PA; UT; WA; WI; WY; AB; BC; MB; SK; c Asia [Introduced in North America; introduced also in South America, other parts of Asia]
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
AL; AR; AZ; CA; CT; FL; GA; LA; MA; MD; ME; MO; MS; NC; NJ; NY; OH; OR; PA; SC; TN; TX; VA; WI; WV; BC; NB; NF; NS; QC; South America [Introduced in North America; introduced also in Mexico (Sinaloa), Central America (Honduras), Europe, Asia, s Africa, Australia]
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Lepidium appelianum has become a noxious weed in most of its range in North America.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

Source FNA vol. 7, p. 576. FNA vol. 7, p. 580.
Parent taxa Brassicaceae > tribe Lepidieae > Lepidium Brassicaceae > tribe Lepidieae > Lepidium
Sibling taxa
L. acutidens, L. alyssoides, L. austrinum, L. barnebyanum, L. campestre, L. chalepense, L. coronopus, L. crenatum, L. davisii, L. densiflorum, L. dictyotum, L. didymum, L. draba, L. eastwoodiae, L. flavum, L. fremontii, L. heterophyllum, L. huberi, L. integrifolium, L. jaredii, L. lasiocarpum, L. latifolium, L. latipes, L. montanum, L. nanum, L. nitidum, L. oblongum, L. ostleri, L. oxycarpum, L. papilliferum, L. paysonii, L. perfoliatum, L. pinnatifidum, L. ramosissimum, L. ruderale, L. sativum, L. sordidum, L. strictum, L. thurberi, L. tiehmii, L. virginicum
L. acutidens, L. alyssoides, L. appelianum, L. austrinum, L. barnebyanum, L. campestre, L. chalepense, L. coronopus, L. crenatum, L. davisii, L. densiflorum, L. dictyotum, L. draba, L. eastwoodiae, L. flavum, L. fremontii, L. heterophyllum, L. huberi, L. integrifolium, L. jaredii, L. lasiocarpum, L. latifolium, L. latipes, L. montanum, L. nanum, L. nitidum, L. oblongum, L. ostleri, L. oxycarpum, L. papilliferum, L. paysonii, L. perfoliatum, L. pinnatifidum, L. ramosissimum, L. ruderale, L. sativum, L. sordidum, L. strictum, L. thurberi, L. tiehmii, L. virginicum
Synonyms Hymenophysa pubescens, Cardaria pubescens, Cardaria pubescens var. elongata Carara didyma, Coronopus didymus, Senebiera didyma, Senebiera incisa, Senebiera pinnatifida
Name authority Al-Shehbaz: Novon 12: 7. (2002) Linnaeus: Syst. Nat. ed. 12, 2: 433. (1767): Mant Pl. 1: 92. (1767)
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