Lepidium latifolium L.

Lepidium species are annual or perennial herbs or rarely undershrubs, glabrous or pubescent with simple or branched hairs, not scapose. Rootstocks slender, taproot. Stem erect, ascending, rarely decumbent or procumbent, leafy, simple or usually branched, glabrous or pubescent. Basal leaves simple, rarely absent, rosulate or not, linear lanceolate to oblong, base cuneate to attenuate, margin entire to pinnatifid, apex acute to obtuse, petiole short to sessile, cauline leaves usually similar but smaller, base auriculate or not, petiole subsessile to sessile. Inflorescence raceme corymbs, few to many flowered, elongated or not in fruit, ebracteate. Flowers bisexual, white, yellow, pink, pedicel erect, divaricate, stout, slender, ascending, sepals 4, ovate-oblong, usually deciduous or sometimes persistent, lateral pair base not saccate, apex obtuse, petals 4, sometimes rudimentary, obovate-oblong to orbicular, base cuneate, margins entire, apex obtuse or emarginated, claw distinct or absent. Stamens 2 or 4, in equal length, median or lateral, or 6 tetradynamous, filaments not dilated near the base, anthers ovate-oblong, nectar glands 4 to 6, median glands usually present. Ovary superior, sessile, ellipsoid-cylindrical, bicarpellary, ovules 2. Fruit silicula, dehiscent, ovate-obovate to orbicular-obovoid, terete, angustiseptate, compressed, keeled or rounded at the back, valves prominent or not veined, glabrous or pubescent, replum rounded, septum complete, membranous, style obsolete, stigma capitate, entire or rarely bilobed. Seeds 1-2, each in a locule, brown, compressed or flattened, ovate-ovoid, winged, smooth minutely reticulate, nicely mucilaginous when soaked, cotyledons usually incumbent.

Lepidium species flowers are complete, bisexual, i.e., with functional male (androecium) and female (gynoecium), including stamens, carpels and ovary. Pollination is entomophilous i.e., by insects, or cleistogamy i.e., by self or allogamy i.e., by cross pollination. Flowering/Fruiting: May—October.

Seeds may be dispersed by autochory i.e., self dispersal, anemochory i.e., wind dispersal, zoochory i.e., dispersal by birds or animals, anthropochory i.e., dispersal by humans.

perennial herbs or undershrubs, glabrous or sparsely pubescent with simple or branched hairs, about 30-120 cm tall. Rootstocks thick rhizomatous, woody caudex. Stem erect, ascending, leafy, branched from the base and above, glabrous to pubescent hairs. Basal radical leaves simple, alternate, not in rosulate, ovate-elliptic to oblong, about 3-15 x 1.3-5 cm across, base cuneate, margin serrate dentate or entire, apex acute, glabrous to leathery, midrib impressed above and prominent beneath, petiole of basal leaves longer, about 1-10 cm long, cauline leaves similar but becoming smaller, oblong-lanceolate, about 1.5-9 x 0.4-4 cm across, base cuneate not auriculate, margins entire or serrate dentate, apex acute to subobtuse, uppermost leaves becoming more linear, petiole short to subsessile towards the shoot. Inflorescence raceme, densely panicled subcorymbs, both terminal and axillary, many or numerous flowered, elongated or not in fruit, glabrous or sparsely pubescent with erect trichomes, bracteate. Flowers bisexual, cream white, pedicel erect or slightly curved, ascending to divaricate, slender, ascending, glabrous or puberulent above, about 2-6 mm long, sepals 4, ovate-oblong, caducous, deciduous, margins white near apex, lateral pair base not saccate, apex obtuse, glabrous or puberulent, about 1-1.5 mm long, petals 4, obovate, base narrowed, margins entire, apex rounded, about 1.7-2.5 x 0.8-1.3 mm across, claw distinct, about 1 mm long. Stamens 6, filaments not dilated near the base, about 0.8-1.5 mm long, anthers ovate, yellow, about 0.4-0.5 mm long. Ovary superior, sessile, ellipsoid-cylindrical, bicarpellary, ovules 2. Fruit silicula, dehiscent, suborbicular to ovate-elliptic, terete, angustiseptate, about 2.5-2.75 x 1.75 mm across, compressed, base rounded, apex notch absent or obsolete, not winged, glabrous or puberulent, replum rounded, septum complete, style obsolete. Seeds brown, slightly compressed or flattened, ovate-ovoid, not winged, about 1-1.3 x 0.8 mm across, smooth minutely reticulate, nicely mucilaginous when soaked, and cotyledons incumbent.

Lepidium species are susceptible to various insect pests, virus, mildews and moulds.

Hill slopes, grassy places, meadows, along streams banks and barren places, altitude 400-2800 m.

Not evaluated (IUCN).

Root decoction used to treat stomach ailments. Plant is used to treat skin problems and inflammation.