TREATMENT FROM THE JEPSON MANUAL	previous taxon | next taxon Jepson Interchange (more information)
	©Copyright 1993 by the Regents of the University of California Print edition is available from the University of California Press

	The second edition of The Jepson Manual (2012) is available from the University of California Press
	See also the Jepson eFlora, which parallels the Second Edition

BRASSICACEAE

MUSTARD FAMILY

Reed C. Rollins, except as specified

Annual to subshrub
Leaves generally basal and cauline, alternate, generally simple; stipules 0
Inflorescence: generally raceme
Flower bisexual; sepals 4, free; petals (0)4, free, generally white or yellow, often clawed; stamens generally (2,4)6, generally 4 long, 2 short; ovary 1, superior, chambers generally 2, septum membranous, connecting 2 parietal placentas, style 1, stigma simple or 2-lobed
Fruit: generally capsule ("silique") with 2 deciduous valves, sometimes breaking transversely or indehiscent
Seeds 1–many per chamber
Genera in family: 300+ genera, 3000+ species: worldwide, especially cool regions; some cultivated for food (especially Brassica, Raphanus ) and ornamental
Recent taxonomic note: Recently treated to include Capparaceae [Rodman et al. 1993 Ann Missouri Bot Gard 80:686–699; Rollins 1993 Cruciferae of Continental North America. Stanford Univ Press]
Family description, key to genera by Robert A. Price.

LEPIDIUM

PEPPERGRASS, PEPPERWORT

Annual to shrub; hairs 0 or simple
Leaves: basal not rosetted, generally petioled, entire to pinnately lobed; cauline short-petioled to sessile, sometimes clasping or surrounding stem
Flower small; sepals erect or spreading, oblong to ovate, shed early or persistent; petals linear to obovate, generally white, rarely yellowish, sometimes bristle-like or 0; stamens 6, 4, or 2
Fruit dehiscent, oblong to elliptic or obcordate, flat perpendicular to septum; pedicel cylindric or flat, winged or not
Seeds 1 per chamber, gelatinous when wetted; wing narrow or 0; embryonic root at back of 1 cotyledon, rarely at edges of both
Species in genus: ± 175 species: ± worldwide
Etymology: (Greek: little scale, from fruit)
Reference: [Hitchcock 1936 Madroño 3:265–300]

Native

L. latipes Hook.

Annual
Stem 3–10(25) cm, stout; hairs dense
Leaf 5–10 cm, linear or with linear segments
Inflorescence in fruit very dense, 2–5(12) cm, 1–1.5 cm wide
Flower: sepals ± 1.3 mm, oblong-ovate, densely covered to fringed with spreading hairs; petals 2–4 mm, oblong, greenish, ciliate, hairs sparse on lower side; stamens 4
Fruit 5–7 mm, oblong-ovate; hairs generally large, flat and minute, cylindric; valve tip wings acuminate; notch > 1/3 seed pouch, generally very narrow; pedicel ascending, 2–3 mm, very flat
Ecology: Alkaline soils
Elevation: < 800 m.
Bioregional distribution: North Coast, North Coast Ranges, Great Central Valley, Central Coast, San Francisco Bay Area, Inner South Coast Ranges, South Coast
Distribution outside California: Baja California

Native

var. heckardii Rollins

HECKARD'S PEPPERGRASS

Stem erect, branched above base; nodes spaced
Leaves: basal 0 or shed early; cauline entire
Inflorescence in fruit > basal leaves
Ecology: Alkaline flats
Elevation: < 200 m.
Bioregional distribution: s Sacramento Valley (Yolo Co.).

See the CNPS Inventory for information about endangerment and rarity.
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Retrieve Jepson Interchange Index to Plant Names entry for Lepidium latipes var. heckardii
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