Page authors: Don Knoke, David Giblin
Lepidium nitidum
shining peppergrass
Specimens
Photos

Distribution: Known from Klickitat County in Washington; south-central Washington to California.

Habitat: Dry, open areas at low elevation.

Flowers: March-April

Origin: Native

Growth Duration: Annual

Conservation Status: Not of concern

Pollination: Bumblebees, bees, flies, beetles, wasps

Description:
General:

Slender annual, the spreading to erect stems 1-4 dm. long, simple to freely-branched, mostly glabrous below, puberulent to pubescent above and throughout the inflorescence.

Leaves:

Leaves alternate, deeply pinnatified into 3-7 pairs of linear segments, the basal ones 3-10 cm. long, the cauline leaves gradually reduced, the upper ones sometimes entire.

Flowers:

Inflorescence of bractless, open and elongate racemes; pedicles strongly flattened, ascending; sepals 4, 1-1.5 mm. long; petals 4, white, 1-2 mm. long; stamens usually 6; style lacking.

Fruits:

Silicles ovate to oblong-obicular, 3.5-4.5 mm. long, glabrous, lightly veined, both surfaces smooth and shining, the slightly winged margins upturned all the way around, the tip slightly notched.

Accepted Name:
Lepidium nitidum Nutt.
Publication: Fl. N. Amer. 1: 116. 1838.

Synonyms & Misapplications:
Lepidium leiocarpum Hook. & Arn.
Lepidium nitidum Nutt. var. howellii C.L. Hitchc.
Lepidium nitidum Nutt. var. nitidum [Rollins 1993a]
Lepidium nitidum Nutt. var. oreganum (Howell ex Greene) C.L. Hitchc.
Additional Resources:

PNW Herbaria: Specimen records of Lepidium nitidum in the Consortium of Pacific Northwest Herbaria database

WA Flora Checklist: Lepidium nitidum checklist entry

OregonFlora: Lepidium nitidum information

E-Flora BC: Lepidium nitidum atlas page

CalPhotos: Lepidium nitidum photos

13 photographs:
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