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Lepidium latifolium

(Perennial Pepper-Grass (Canada))

Interesting Facts

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Common Names

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Click on the language to view common names.

Common Names in Chinese:

Kuan Ye Du Xing Cai

Common Names in English:

Broad-Leaf Pepper-Grass, Broad-Leaf Peppergrass, Broad-Leaf Pepperweed, Broad-Leaf Pepperwort, Broad-Leaved Pepper-Grass, Broad-Leaved Pepperweed, Broadleaf Pepperweed, Broadleaved Peppergrass, Broadleaved Pepperweed, Dittander Lepidium Latifolium, Peppergrass, Peppergrass Mustard, Perennial Pepper-Grass (Canada), Perennial Peppercress, Perennial Peppergrass, Perennial Pepperweed, Perennial Pepperwort, Tall Whitetop, Virginia Pepperweed

Common Names in French:

Grande Passerage, Lépidie à Feuilles Larges (Canada)

Common Names in German:

Breitblättrige Kresse

Common Names in Italian:

Lepidio Latifoglio

Common Names in Portuguese:

Erva-Pimenteira, Mostarda-Perene

Common Names in Spanish:

Lepidio, Mastuerzo Montesino, Piperisa

Description

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Family Brassicaceae

Herbs annual , biennial, or perennial , sometimes subshrubs or shrubs , with a pungent , watery juice. Eglandular trichomes unicellular, simple , stalked or sessile, 2- to many forked , stellate , dendritic , or malpighiaceous (medifixed , bifid, appressed ), rarely peltate and scalelike; glandular trichomes multicellular, with uniseriate or multiseriate stalk . Stems erect , ascending , or prostrate , sometimes absent. Leaves exstipulate , simple, entire or variously pinnately dissected , rarely trifoliolate or pinnately, palmately, or bipinnately compound ; basal leaf rosette present or absent; cauline leaves almost always alternate, rarely opposite or whorled , petiolate or sessile, sometimes absent. Inflorescence bracteate or ebracteate racemes , corymbs, or panicles, sometimes flowers solitary on long pedicels originating from axils of rosette leaves . Flowers hypogynous, mostly actinomorphic . Sepals 4, in 2 decussate pairs, free or rarely united , not saccate or lateral (inner) pair saccate. Petals 4, alternate with sepals, arranged in the form of a cross (cruciform ; hence the earlier family name Cruciferae), rarely rudimentary or absent. Stamens 6, in 2 whorls, tetradynamous (lateral (outer) pair shorter than median (inner) 2 pairs), rarely equal or in 3 pairs of unequal length , sometimes stamens 2 or 4, very rarely 8-24; filaments slender, winged , or appendaged, median pairs free or rarely united; anthers dithecal , dehiscing by longitudinal slits. Pollen grains 3-colpate, trinucleate . Nectar glands receptacular , highly diversified in number, shape , size, and disposition around base of filaments, always present opposite bases of lateral filaments, median glands present or absent. Pistil 2-carpelled; ovary superior, sessile or borne on a distinct gynophore , mostly 2-locular and with a false septum connecting 2 placentae; placentation parietal , rarely apical; ovules anatropous or campylotropous, bitegmic, 1 to many per locule. Fruit typically a 2-valved capsule, generally termed silique (siliqua) when length 3 × or more than width , or silicle (silicula) when length less than 3 × width, dehiscent or indehiscent, sometimes schizocarpic, nutletlike, lomentaceous , or samaroid , segmented or not, terete , angled , or flattened parallel to septum (latiseptate ) or at a right angle to septum (angustiseptate) ; valves 2(or 3-6) ; replum (persistent placenta) rounded , rarely flattened or winged; septum complete, perforated, reduced to a rim , or lacking; style 1, distinct, obsolete , or absent; stigma capitate or conical , entire or 2-lobed, sometimes lobes decurrent and free or connate . Seeds without endosperm, uniseriately or biseriately arranged in each locule, aseriate when 1, winged or wingless, mucilaginous or not when wetted; cotyledons incumbent (embryo notorrhizal: radicle lying along back of 1 cotyledon), accumbent (embryo pleurorrhizal: radicle applied to margins of both cotyledons), or conduplicate (embryo orthoplocal: cotyledons folded longitudinally around radicle), rarely spirally coiled (embryo spirolobal) . Germination epigeal.

About 330 genera and 3500 species: all continents except Antarctica, mainly in temperate areas, with highest diversity in Irano-Turanian, Mediterranean, and W North American regions; 102 genera (eight endemic) and 412 species (115 endemic) in China.

Because of lack of a comprehensive classification based on phylogenetic relationships among genera, and in order to facilitate direct comparison between the accounts in FOC and FRPS, the sequence of genera follows Schulz (Nat. Pflanzenfam. 17b: 227-658. 1936) . However, it should be emphasized that his system is largely artificial because he placed closely related genera in different tribes and remotely related genera in the same tribe. For example, Arabis, Aubrieta, Draba, and Macropodium, which are very closely related on the basis of recent molecular studies, were placed by Schulz in four different tribes, whereas the unrelated Capsella, Lepidium, and Thlaspi were placed in one tribe. The delimitation of genera is often difficult, and mature fruits are needed for reliable identification.

The Brassicaceae include many important crop plants that are grown as vegetables (Brassica, Nasturtium, Raphanus) and sources of vegetable oils (Brassica) and condiments (Armoracia, Brassica, Eutrema, Sinapis) . Oils of Brassica probably rank first in terms of tonnage of the world's production of edible oils. The family includes many ornamentals in the genera Erysimum, Iberis Linnaeus, Lobularia, Malcolmia, and Matthiola. Of these, only Lobularia maritima has become naturalized in China. The family also includes more than 120 species of weeds . Arabidopsis thaliana, which is naturalized in China, has become the model organism in many fields of experimental biology .

The delimitation of genera in the Brassicaceae is often difficult because of the frequent independent evolution of what appear to be similar character states , the variability of a given character in one genus and its fixture in another, and the inadequate sampling of material by most authors . Fruit characters are essential in the identification of genera. However, a key emphasizing flowering material is given in addition to the one emphasizing fruit. The most reliable determination of genera can be achieved when the material has both fruit and flowers and when both keys are successfully used to reach the same genus.

The types of cotyledonary position, which in reality is the position of the radicle in relation to the cotyledons (e.g. , radicle accumbent, incumbent, or conduplicate, though radicle referred to as "cotyledon" throughout) are important in the separation of many genera, and a cross section of the seed provides the easiest and simplest way of determining that position. The exact number of ovules per ovary can easily be determined from the fruit because aborted ovules persist through fruit dehiscence. However, it is more laborious to determine the ovule number from pistils and young fruit.[1]

Genus Lepidium

Herbs annual , biennial, or perennial , sometimes subshrubs , rarely shrubs or climbers . Trichomes absent or simple . Stems erect or ascending , sometimes creeping , simple or branched basally and/or apically. Basal leaves rosulate or not, simple, entire or pinnately dissected . Cauline leaves petiolate or sessile, base cuneate, attenuate, auriculate , sagittate , or amplexicaul , margin entire, dentate , or dissected. Racemes ebracteate , corymbose , elongated or not in fruit. Fruiting pedicels terete , flattened, or winged , erect or divaricate . Sepals ovate or oblong , rarely orbicular , base of lateral pair not saccate . Petals white, yellow, or pink, erect or spreading , sometimes rudimentary or absent; blade obovate , spatulate , oblong, oblanceolate , orbicular, linear , or filiform , apex obtuse , rounded , or emarginate ; claw absent or distinct . Stamens 2 and median , sometimes 6 and tetradynamous or subequal in length , rarely 4 and all median or 2 median and 2 lateral; anthers ovate or oblong. Nectar glands 4 or 6, distinct; median glands always present. Ovules 2 per ovary; placentation apical. Fruit dehiscent silicles , oblong, ovate, obovate, cordate, obcordate , elliptic , or orbicular, strongly angustiseptate; valves veinless or prominently veined, keeled or not, apically winged or wingless; replum rounded; septum complete or perforated, membranous; style absent, obsolete , or distinct, included or exserted from apical notch of fruit; stigma capitate, entire or rarely 2-lobed. Seeds 1 per locule, winged, margined , or wingless, oblong or ovate, plump or flattened; seed coat smooth , minutely reticulate , or papillate , usually copiously mucilaginous when wetted; cotyledons incumbent , rarely accumbent or diplecolobal.

About 180 species: all continents except Antarctica; 16 species (two endemic, two introduced ) in China.[2]

Physical Description

Species Lepidium latifolium

Herbs perennial , (20-) 35-120(-150) cm tall. Stems erect , many branched above, slightly woody at base , glabrous or pubescent , often glaucous. Leaves leathery; petiole of basal and lower cauline leaves 1-7(-11) cm; leaf blade elliptic-ovate or oblong , (2-) 3.5-15(-25) × (0.5-) 1.5-5(-8) cm, glabrous or pubescent with usually curved trichomes , base attenuate, margin usually serrate, apex obtuse to subacute . Upper cauline leaves subsessile or sessile; leaf blade elliptic-ovate, oblong, or lanceolate, 1-9 × 0.3-4.5 cm, base cuneate, not auriculate , margin serrate or entire, apex acute. Infructescence paniculate , ultimate branches subcapitate . Fruiting pedicels slender, 2-5(-6) mm, glabrous or rarely pubescent. Sepals deciduous, oblong or suborbicular , 1-1.4 × 0.8-0.9 mm, glabrous or pubescent, white at margin and apex. Petals white, obovate , 1.8-2.5 × (0.8-) 1-1.3 mm, apex rounded ; claw 0.7-1 mm. Stamens 6; filaments 0.9-1.4 mm; anthers ovate , 0.4-0.5 mm. Fruit oblong-elliptic, ovate-elliptic, or suborbicular, (1.6-) 1.8-2.4(-2.7) × 1.3-1.8 mm, pubescent or glabrous, not carinate , wingless, base rounded; apical notch absent or obsolete ; style obsolete. Seeds light brown, oblong-ovate, (0.8-) 1-1.3 × 0.7-0.9 mm, compressed , wingless, finely papillate ; cotyledons incumbent . Fl. May-Sep, fr. Jun-Oct. 2n = 24. [source]

The above first record from Sichuan is based on Martin s.n., 30 May 1890 (LE). Forms with subsessile leaves and pubescent fruit are recognized as Lepidium latifolium subsp. or var. latifolium, whereas those with sessile leaves and glabrous fruit have variously been recognized as L. affine, L. latifolium var. affine, and L. latifolium subsp. sibiricum. However, such distinction is artificial, as plants with glabrous and pubescent fruit are often found in the same population. [source]

Habit: Forb/herb

Flowers: Bloom Period: June. • Flower Color: near white, white

Size/Age/Growth

Size: 36-48" tall.

Habitat

Fields , roadsides, slopes , saline meadows; 100-4300 m [3].

Typically found at an altitude of 0 to 5,271 meters (0 to 17,293 feet).[4]

Biology

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Reproduction

Duration: Perennial

Taxonomy

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Unambiguous Synonyms

  1. Cardaria draba chalapensis (L.) O. E. Schulz
  2. Cardaria draba var. repens (Schrenk) O. E. Schulz
  3. L. latifolium affine (Ledebour) Kitagawa
  4. L. latifolium sibiricum Thellung
  5. L. latifolium var. affine (Ledebour) C. A. Meyer
  6. L. sibiricum Schweigger (1812), Not Pallas (1776).
  7. Lepidium affine Ledebour
  8. Lepidium lasiocarpum latifolium L. , 1859
  9. Lepidium repens (Schrenk) Boiss.

Notes

Name Status: Accepted Name . Latest taxonomic scrutiny: 15-Mar-2000

Place of publication : Sp. pl. 2:644. 1753

Name verified on 08-May-1992 by ARS Systematic Botanists. Last updated: 23-Aug-1994

Similar Species

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Members of the genus Lepidium

ZipcodeZoo has pages for 544 species, subspecies, varieties, forms, and cultivars in this genus. Here are just 100 of them:

L. abrotanifolium · L. abyssinicum · L. acutidens · L. acutidens microcarpum · L. affine · L. africanum (African Pepperwort) · L. africanum subsp. divaricatum · L. alashanicum · L. albiflorum · L. aletes · L. aletes var. integrifolium · L. alluaudii · L. alpigenum · L. alpinum · L. alyssoides (Southern Pepperweed) · L. alyssoides Gray var. alyssoides Gray (Mesa Pepperwort) · L. alyssoides Gray var. eastwoodiae (Woot.) Rollins (Eastwood's Pepperweed) · L. alyssoides Gray var. junceum Rollins (Mesa Pepperwort) · L. alyssoides var. alyssoides (Mesa Pepperwort) · L. alyssoides var. angustifolium (Lepidium Alyssoides Var. Angus) · L. alyssoides var. eastwoodiae (Eastwood's Pepperweed) · L. alyssoides var. junceum (Mesa Pepperwort) · L. alyssoides var. mexicanum · L. alyssoides var. stenocarpum · L. ambiguum · L. amelum · L. amplexicaule · L. anglicum · L. angolense · L. angulosum · L. angustifolium (Lepidium Alyssoides Var. Angus) · L. angustissimum · L. apetalum · L. appelianum (Globe-Podded Hoary Cress) · L. araucanum · L. arbuscula (Waianae Range Pepperwort) · L. argentinum · L. armoracia · L. armoracium · L. arvense · L. aschersonii · L. atlanticum · L. aucheri (Aucher's Pepper-Grass) · L. auriculatum · L. australe · L. austrinum (Southern Peppergrass) · L. austrinum var. orbiculare · L. banksii · L. barnebyanum (Barneby Pepper Grass) · L. barneoudianum · L. basuticum · L. beamanii · L. beckii · L. bernardinum · L. bidentatum (Double-Tooth Pepper-Grass) · L. aucheri (Kunana Pepperwort) · L. bidentatum Morton var. remyi (Drake) Fosberg (Remy's Pepperweed) · L. bidentatum var. o-waihiense · L. bidentatum var. owaihiense (Kunana Pepperwort) · L. bidentatum var. remyi (Remy's Pepperweed) · L. bipinnatifidum · L. bipinnatum · L. biplicatum · L. boelckeanum · L. boelckei · L. boissieri · L. bonannianum · L. bonariense (Argentine Pepperweed) · L. bonariense f. subsagittulatum · L. bonariense var. gracile · L. bonariense var. pseudo-virginicum · L. bonariense var. stenocarpum · L. bonariense var. stuckertianum · L. bonariense var. suborbiculatum · L. borysthenicum · L. bourgeauanum · L. bourgeaunum · L. brachybotryum · L. brachyotum · L. brevicaule · L. bupleuroides · L. burkartii · L. bursa-pastoris · L. buschianum · L. caespitosum · L. californicum · L. calycinum · L. calycinum var. gracile · L. calycinum var. macrocarpum · L. calycotrichum · L. calycotrichum subsp. anticarium · L. calycotricum · L. campestre (Cream-Anther Field Pepperwort) · L. capense · L. capitatum · L. cardamine · L. cardamines · L. carrerasii · L. cartilagineum · L. catapycnon

More Info

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Further Reading

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Notes

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Contributors

Data Sources

Accessed through GBIF Data Portal November 18, 2007:

Identifiers

Footnotes

  1. Tai-yien Cheo, Lianli Lu, Guang Yang, Ihsan Al-Shehbaz & Vladimir Dorofeev "Brassicaceae". in Flora of China Vol. 8 Page 1. Published by Science Press (Beijing) and Missouri Botanical Garden Press. Online at EFloras.org. [back]
  2. "Lepidium". in Flora of China Vol. 8 Page 28. Published by Science Press (Beijing) and Missouri Botanical Garden Press. Online at EFloras.org. [back]
  3. "Lepidium latifolium". in Flora of China Vol. 8 Page 30. Missouri Botanical Garden Press. Online at EFloras.org. [back]
  4. Mean = 229.730 meters (753.707 feet), Standard Deviation = 481.650 based on 2,063 observations. Altitude information for each observation from British Oceanographic Data Centre. [back]
Last Revised: 7/1/2009