Broadleaved Pepperweed

A very variable species, especially with regard to hairiness and fleshiness of leaves etc. which are not reliable taxonomic characters. Lepidium sibiricum is a more fleshy state or form of this species.

The above first record from Sichuan is based on Martin s.n., 30 May 1890 (LE). Forms with subsessile leaves and pubescent fruit are recognized as Lepidium latifolium subsp. or var. latifolium, whereas those with sessile leaves and glabrous fruit have variously been recognized as L. affine, L. latifolium var. affine, and L. latifolium subsp. sibiricum. However, such distinction is artificial, as plants with glabrous and pubescent fruit are often found in the same population.

The seeds are used in Gansu and N Shaanxi for medicine.

Perennial, 30-120 cm tall, erect, often much branched and somewhat woody below, glabrous or sparsely hairy with usually simple hairs, sometimes slightly fleshy and glaucous. Lower leaves shortly to long stalked (petiole 3-10 cm long), ovate-lanceolate, entire to serrate, acute to obtuse, 5-15 cm long, 2-6 cm broad; upper leaves smaller, usually lanceolate or oblong-elliptic, serrate to entire; shortly stalked to sessile. Racemes 25-50-flowered, corymbose, ebracteate. Flowers small, c. 2.5 mm across, white, often with pinkish bases; pedicels up to 5 mm long in fruit, filiform, spreading. Sepals 1 mm long, ovate-oblong or suborbicular, with obtuse or rounded apex. Petals 2-2.5 mm long, c.1.5 mm broad, spathulate, distinctly to obscurely clawed, with rounded apex. Stamens 6, c. 1.5: 1.8 mm long with minute anthers. Siliculae 1.5-2 mm long, ovate-orbicular, with obtuse, hardly emarginate apex, having almost sessile stigma topping the fruit apex; valves glabrous to sub-hairy, without distinct veins; septum c.0.5 mm broad; seed c. 1 mm long, oblong-elliptic, brown.

Herbs perennial, (20-)35-120(-150) cm tall. Stems erect, many branched above, slightly woody at base, glabrous or pubescent, often glaucous. Leaves leathery; petiole of basal and lower cauline leaves 1-7(-11) cm; leaf blade elliptic-ovate or oblong, (2-)3.5-15(-25) × (0.5-)1.5-5(-8) cm, glabrous or pubescent with usually curved trichomes, base attenuate, margin usually serrate, apex obtuse to subacute. Upper cauline leaves subsessile or sessile; leaf blade elliptic-ovate, oblong, or lanceolate, 1-9 × 0.3-4.5 cm, base cuneate, not auriculate, margin serrate or entire, apex acute. Infructescence paniculate, ultimate branches subcapitate. Fruiting pedicels slender, 2-5(-6) mm, glabrous or rarely pubescent. Sepals deciduous, oblong or suborbicular, 1-1.4 × 0.8-0.9 mm, glabrous or pubescent, white at margin and apex. Petals white, obovate, 1.8-2.5 × (0.8-)1-1.3 mm, apex rounded; claw 0.7-1 mm. Stamens 6; filaments 0.9-1.4 mm; anthers ovate, 0.4-0.5 mm. Fruit oblong-elliptic, ovate-elliptic, or suborbicular, (1.6-)1.8-2.4(-2.7) × 1.3-1.8 mm, pubescent or glabrous, not carinate, wingless, base rounded; apical notch absent or obsolete; style obsolete. Seeds light brown, oblong-ovate, (0.8-)1-1.3 × 0.7-0.9 mm, compressed, wingless, finely papillate; cotyledons incumbent. Fl. May-Sep, fr. Jun-Oct. 2n = 24.

Distribution: Europe, N. Africa, C. and S.W. Asia to W. Pakistan and Himalayas.

Gansu, Hebei, Heilongjiang, Henan, Liaoning, Nei Mongol, Ningxia, Qinghai, Shaanxi, Shandong, Shanxi, Sichuan, Xinjiang, Xizang [Afghanistan, India, Kashmir, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan; N Africa, SW Asia, S Europe].

F1.Per.: May-July.

Fields, roadsides, slopes, saline meadows; 100-4300 m.

Lepidium affine Ledebour; L. latifolium subsp. affine (Ledebour) Kitagawa; L. latifolium var. affine (Ledebour) C. A. Meyer; L. latifolium subsp. sibiricum Thellung; L. sibiricum Schweigger (1812), not Pallas (1776).