Lepidium sativum

Linnaeus

Sp. Pl. 2: 644. 1753.

IntroducedIllustrated
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 7. Treatment on page 592. Mentioned on page 574.

Annuals; (often glaucous), usually glabrous, rarely sparsely pilose. Stems simple from base, erect, branched distally, (1–)2–8(–10) dm. Basal leaves (withered by anthesis); not rosulate; petiole 1–4 cm; blade 1- or 2-pinnatifid or pinnatisect (lobes ovate to oblong), 2–8(–10) cm, margins (of lobes) entire or dentate. Cauline leaves petiolate; blade similar to basal, usually less divided, rarely undivided, (distal) often linear, bases not auriculate, margins entire. Racemes considerably elongated in fruit; rachis glabrous. Fruiting pedicels suberect to ascending, appressed to rachis, straight, (terete or slightly flattened), 1.5–4(–6) × 0.4–0.6 mm, glabrous. Flowers: sepals oblong-obovate, 1–1.8 × 0.5–0.8 mm; petals white or lavender, spatulate to obovate, 2–3.5(–4) × 0.7–1.4 mm, claw 1–1.4 mm; stamens 6; filaments (median pairs) 1.5–2 mm, (glabrous); anthers 0.4–0.5 mm. Fruits broadly ovate or ovate-oblong, (4–)5–6.4(–7) × 3–4.5(–5.6) mm, apically broadly winged, apical notch 0.2 0.8 mm deep; valves thin, smooth, not veined, glabrous; style 0.1–0.5(–0.8) mm, usually included in, rarely subequaling, apical notch. Seeds (reddish brown), ovate-oblong, 2–2.7(–3) × 1–1.5 mm, (3-lobed). 2n = 16, 32.


Phenology: Flowering Apr–Aug.
Habitat: Gardens, old fields, vacant lots, disturbed areas, railroad embankments, waste grounds, roadsides, cultivated areas

Distribution

V7 961-distribution-map.gif

Introduced; Alta., B.C., Man., Nfld. and Labr. (Nfld.), N.W.T., N.S., Ont., P.E.I., Que., Sask., Conn., Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Md., Mass., Mich., N.H., N.Y., Ohio, Oreg., Pa., R.I., Tenn., Wash., Wyo., Europe, sw Asia, perhaps ne Africa, introduced also in South America (Argentina), Australia.

Discussion

Lepidium sativum is cultivated as a salad green and is sporadically naturalized, though never as an aggressive weed. It is seldom collected; the above range may be incomplete.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.
... more about "Lepidium sativum"
Ihsan A. Al-Shehbaz +  and John F. Gaskin +
Linnaeus +
Alta. +, B.C. +, Man. +, Nfld. and Labr. (Nfld.) +, N.W.T. +, N.S. +, Ont. +, P.E.I. +, Que. +, Sask. +, Conn. +, Idaho +, Iowa +, Maine +, Md. +, Mass. +, Mich. +, N.H. +, N.Y. +, Ohio +, Oreg. +, Pa. +, R.I. +, Tenn. +, Wash. +, Wyo. +, Europe +, sw Asia +, perhaps ne Africa +, introduced also in South America (Argentina) +  and Australia. +
Gardens, old fields, vacant lots, disturbed areas, railroad embankments, waste grounds, roadsides, cultivated areas +
Flowering Apr–Aug. +
Introduced +  and Illustrated +
Carara +, Cardaria +, Coronopus +, Neolepia +, Physolepidion +, Senebiera +, Sprengeria +  and Stroganowia +
Lepidium sativum +
Lepidium +
species +