Lepidium is a genus of plants in the mustard/cabbage family, Brassicaceae. The genus is widely distributed in the Americas, Africa, Asia, Europe, and Australia. It includes familiar species such as garden cress, maca, and dittander. General common names include peppercress, peppergrass, pepperweed, and pepperwort. Some species form tumbleweeds. The genus name Lepidium is from Greek meaning 'small scale', which is thought to be derived from a folk medicine usage of the plant to treat leprosy, which cause small scales on the skin. Another meaning is related to the small scale-like fruit.

Species

Lepidium latifolium on the Kattegat
Lepidium lasiocarpum var. lasiocarpum
Lepidium fremontii

Plants of the World Online accepts 265 species in the genus. 10 species are found in California.

Species include:

See also

External links

  • (PDF). Department of Conservation, Wellington, New Zealand. 2000.
  • D.A. Norton; P.J. de Lange (1999). (PDF). Department of Conservation, Wellington, New Zealand.
  • National Invasive Species Information Center, United States National Agricultural Library.