Lepidium virginicum subsp. virginicum L.
Brassicaceae (Mustard family)

Introduction to Vascular Plants

Photograph

© Jamie Fenneman     (Photo ID #6948)


Map

E-Flora BC Static Map

Distribution of Lepidium virginicum subsp. virginicum
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Species Information

General:
Annual herb from a slender taproot; stems erect, 15-60 cm tall, simple below, freely branched above, hairy to nearly glabrous.
Leaves:
Basal leaves egg-shaped, pinnately cut or merely toothed, 2-15 cm long, 0.5-5 cm wide, usually lacking at anthesis; stem leaves gradually reduced upwards, entire or rarely toothed.
Flowers:
Racemes numerous, elongate, many-flowered; flower stalks spreading, 2-6 mm long, round in cross section to somewhat flattened, glabrous to finely short-hairy; petals white, 1-3 mm long, conspicuous, as long as or slightly longer than the sepals; sepals about 1 mm long, glabrous or slightly soft-hairy.
Fruits:
Silicles, orbicular to nearly round, 2.5-4 mm long, scarcely margined, shallowly notched (to 0.2 mm), usually glabrous; beaks short, well included within the notch.

SourceThe Illustrated Flora of British Columbia

Habitat and Range

Mesic to dry disturbed areas and waste places in the lowland zone; infrequent in SW BC, known from S Vancouver Island, the Gulf Islands and the adjacent mainland; S to OK, TX, NM, AZ and CA.

SourceThe Illustrated Flora of British Columbia