Lepidium africanum

Common Peppercress at Hughes, ACT

Lepidium africanum at Hughes, ACT - 10 Jun 2017
Lepidium africanum at Hughes, ACT - 10 Jun 2017
Lepidium africanum at Hughes, ACT - 10 Jun 2017
Lepidium africanum at Hughes, ACT - 10 Jun 2017
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Identification history

Lepidium africanum 21 Jun 2017 BettyDonWood
Lepidium africanum 20 Jun 2017 MichaelMulvaney
Unidentified 12 Jun 2017 ruthkerruish

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User's notes

Difficult to photograph in the field. Very light weight stems but tough roots. Have found flowering plants. Seems to fit Lepidium africanum but?

6 comments

BettyDonWood wrote:
   13 Jun 2017
It is a Lepidium. One of the weed people may recognise it on sight. Keying it out starts with knowledge of the number of stamens unfortunately.
ruthkerruish wrote:
   15 Jun 2017
Some of the Lepidium spp. are nasty weeds - it seems we may have to wait the next flowering.
   21 Jun 2017
Leaf and fruit shape suggest Lepidium africanum
ruthkerruish wrote:
   21 Jun 2017
I am surprised at how prevalent it is in some areas, for example, it can be as prevalent as shepherd's purse. Because everything else is pretty dry at the moment the stalks stands out.
BettyDonWood wrote:
   21 Jun 2017
Photos 3 and 4 appear to be of abnormal tissue, possibly a viral infection. Could you add a closeup of a normal reasonably mature seed case?
ruthkerruish wrote:
   21 Jun 2017
Don't think it is viral. . L. africanum can be perennial and it seems new growth from the tap root can occur at the same time as previous stems are still seeding.

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Location information

Sighting information

  • 101 - 1,000 Abundance
  • 10 Jun 2017 12:00 AM Recorded on
  • ruthkerruish Recorded by

Additional information

  • True In flower
  • 30cm to 1 metre Plant height

Species information

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