Page author: David Giblin
Lepidium oxycarpum
forked pepperwort, sharpfruited pepperwort
Specimens
Photos

Distribution: Occurring west of the Cascades crest in the San Juan Islands; disjunct in southern Vancouver Island and adjacent San Juan Islands, otherwise occurring in central California.

Habitat: Vernal pools and saline soils.

Flowers: March-May

Origin: Native

Growth Duration: Annual

Conservation Status: Endangered in Washington (WANHP)

Pollination: Bumblebees, bees, flies, beetles, wasps

Description:
General:

Slender, puberulent annual, the erect or spreading stems 0.5-2 dm. tall.

Leaves:

Basal leaves 2-6 cm. long, pinnatifid into linear segments; cauline leaves alternate, mostly linear, entire, not auriculate.

Flowers:

Inflorescence of open, bractless, elongate racemes; pedicles distinctly flattened, spreading, often S-shaped, slightly longer than the fruits; sepals 4, 0.5 mm. long; petals 4, white, up to 0.5 mm. long, often wanting; stamens 4; style lacking.

Fruits:

Silicles ovate, 2.5-3.5 mm. long and 2-2.5 mm. broad, strongly obcompressed, glabrous, finely net-veined, deeply lobed, the 2 lobes nearly 1 mm. long.

Accepted Name:
Lepidium oxycarpum Torr. & A. Gray
Publication: Fl. N. Amer. 1: 116. 1838.

Synonyms & Misapplications:
Nasturtium oxycarpum (Torr. & A. Gray) Kuntze
Additional Resources:

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

WA Flora Checklist: Lepidium oxycarpum checklist entry.

OregonFlora: Lepidium oxycarpum information.

E-Flora BC: Lepidium oxycarpum atlas page.

CalPhotos: Lepidium oxycarpum photos.

USDA Plants: Lepidium oxycarpum information.

4 photographs:
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