Page author: David Giblin
Lepidium draba
heart-podded hoarycress, hoary pepperwort
Specimens
Photos

Distribution: Occurring chiefly east of the Cascades crest in Washington; British Columbia to California, east across most of North America to the Atlantic Coast.

Habitat: Roadsides, fields, sagebrush desert, wastelots, and disturbed areas at low to middle elevations.

Flowers: April-August

Origin: Introduced from Eurasia

Growth Duration: Perennial

Conservation Status: Not of concern

Pollination: Bumblebees, bees, flies, beetles, wasps

Description:
General:

Herbaceous perennial from strong rhizomes, the stems erect to decumbent, 2-5 dm. tall, puberulent to hoary-pubescent.

Leaves:

Leaves alternate, ovate-oblong to oblong-oblanceolate, denticulate to dentate, 4-10 cm. long, the lower ones petiolate, the upper sessile and sagittate-clasping.

Flowers:

Inflorescence of bractless, dense, numerous, rather flat-topped racemes; pedicles slender, 1 cm. long; sepals 4, 2 mm. long, early-deciduous; petals 4, white, 3-4 mm. long; stamens 6; style slender, 1 mm. long

Fruit:

Silicles inflated, cordate-ovoid, cordate at the base and rounded or slightly notched at the tip, 3-5 mm. long and 4-6 mm. broad, glabrous; seeds 1 per cell, 2 mm. long.

Identification Notes:

Separated from Cardaria pubescens by the glabrous silicle.

Accepted Name:
Lepidium draba L.
Publication: Sp. Pl. 2: 645. 1753.

Synonyms & Misapplications:
Cardaria draba (L.) Desv. [HC]
Cardaria draba (L.) Desv. ssp. draba [ILBC2]
Lepidium draba L. ssp. draba [Stace 1997]
Additional Resources:

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

WA Flora Checklist: Lepidium draba checklist entry

OregonFlora: Lepidium draba information

E-Flora BC: Lepidium draba atlas page

CalPhotos: Lepidium draba photos

53 photographs:
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