Lepidium

Lepidium is a genus of plants in the mustard/cabbage family, Brassicaceae. The genus is widely distributed in the Americas, Africa, Asia, Europe, and Australia.[1] It includes familiar species such as garden cress, maca, and dittander. General common names include peppercress, peppergrass, pepperweed, and pepperwort. Some species form tumbleweeds.[2] The genus name Lepidium is a Greek word meaning 'small scale', which is thought to be derived from a folk medicine usage of the plant to treat leprosy, which cause small scales on the skin. Another meaning is related to the small scale-like fruit.[3]

Lepidium
Lepidium flavum
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Brassicales
Family: Brassicaceae
Genus: Lepidium
L.
Species

about 175-220, see text

Diversity

Lepidium lasiocarpum var. lasiocarpum

There are about 175[4] to 220[1] species in the genus.[3] 10 species are found in California.[3]

Species include:

See also

  • Everitt, J.H.; Lonard, R.L.; Little, C.R. (2007). Weeds in South Texas and Northern Mexico. Lubbock: Texas Tech University Press. ISBN 0-89672-614-2
  • "Lepidium". Australian Plant Name Index (APNI). Centre for Plant Biodiversity Research, Australian Government. Retrieved 15 March 2023.

References

  1. Lepidium. Flora of North America.
  2. Faulkner, H. W. (1917). The Mysteries of the Flowers. Frederick A. Stokes company. p. 238. page 210
  3. Sia Morhardt and Emil Morhardt California Desert Flowers: An Introduction to Families, Genera, and Species , p. 101, at Google Books
  4. Mummenhoff, K., et al. (2001). Chloroplast DNA phylogeny and biogeography of Lepidium (Brassicaceae). American Journal of Botany 88(11), 2051-63.
  5. Tropicos.org. Missouri Botanical Garden. 20 Dec 2011
  6. Hagwood, Sheri. "Sensitive Plants of the JRA" (PDF). Idaho BLM. Archived from the original (PDF) on 3 May 2014. Retrieved 2 May 2014.


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