264 Species in Genus Lepidium

A World of Peppercress: Exploring the Lepidium Genus

My name is Ferb Vu, and I’m fascinated by the plant world. Today, I want to share my enthusiasm for a particular genus: Lepidium. It’s a diverse group with a surprisingly wide range of uses and ecological roles. You might know some of its members as peppercress, peppergrass, or pepperweed, and chances are you’ve encountered them without even realizing it.

What is Lepidium?

Lepidium belongs to the Brassicaceae family, which puts it in the same company as familiar vegetables like cabbage, broccoli, and mustard. This family connection gives many Lepidium species a slightly peppery, pungent taste. The genus boasts over 200 species scattered across the globe, thriving in various habitats from coastal dunes to high mountains. This adaptability is a testament to the resilience and diversity within the genus.

A Diverse Family

  1. Lepidium abrotanifolium Turcz.
  2. Lepidium acutidens (A.Gray) Howell
  3. Lepidium aegrum Heenan & de Lange
  4. Lepidium affghanum Boiss.
  5. Lepidium affine Ledeb.
  6. Lepidium afghanicum (Rech.f. & Köie) Al-Shehbaz & Mumm.
  7. Lepidium africanum (Burm.f.) DC.
  8. Lepidium alashanicum H.L.Yang
  9. Lepidium alluaudii Maire
  10. Lepidium altissimum Rech.f.
  11. Lepidium alyssoides A.Gray
  12. Lepidium amelum Lepschi
  13. Lepidium amissum de Lange & Heenan
  14. Lepidium amplexicaule Willd.
  15. Lepidium angolense Jonsell
  16. Lepidium angustissimum Phil.
  17. Lepidium apetalum Willd.
  18. Lepidium appelianum Al-Shehbaz
  19. Lepidium apterum (Lipsky) Al-Shehbaz & Mumm.
  20. Lepidium arbuscula Hillebr.
  21. Lepidium arequipa Al-Shehbaz
  22. Lepidium aretioides (Hedge) Al-Shehbaz
  23. Lepidium argentinum Thell.
  24. Lepidium armoracium Fisch. & C.A.Mey.
  25. Lepidium aschersonii Thell.
  26. Lepidium aucheri Boiss.
  27. Lepidium auriculatum Regel & Körn.
  28. Lepidium austrinum Small
  29. Lepidium banksii Kirk
  30. Lepidium barnebyanum Reveal
  31. Lepidium basuticum Marais
  32. Lepidium beamanii Rollins
  33. Lepidium beckii Al-Shehbaz
  34. Lepidium bidentatum Montin
  35. Lepidium bipinnatifidum Desv.
  36. Lepidium bipinnatum Thunb.
  37. Lepidium biplicatum Hewson
  38. Lepidium boelckeanum Prina
  39. Lepidium boelckei Al-Shehbaz
  40. Lepidium bonariense L.
  41. Lepidium botschantsevianum Al-Shehbaz
  42. Lepidium botschantzevii (R.M.Vinogr.) Al-Shehbaz & Mumm.
  43. Lepidium brachyotum (Kar. & Kir.) Al-Shehbaz
  44. Lepidium bupleuroides Rech.f.
  45. Lepidium burkartii Boelcke
  46. Lepidium buschianum Al-Shehbaz
  47. Lepidium caespitosum Desv.
  48. Lepidium campestre (L.) W.T.Aiton
  49. Lepidium capense Thunb.
  50. Lepidium capitatum Hook.f. & Thomson
  51. Lepidium cardamine L.
  52. Lepidium cardiophyllum (Pavlov) Al-Shehbaz
  53. Lepidium cartilagineum (J.Mayer) Thell.
  54. Lepidium castellanum de Lange & Heenan
  55. Lepidium catapycnon Hewson
  56. Lepidium chalepense L.
  57. Lepidium chichicara Desv.
  58. Lepidium cordatum Willd. ex Steven
  59. Lepidium coronopifolium Fisch.
  60. Lepidium coronopus (L.) Al-Shehbaz
  61. Lepidium costaricense Thell.
  62. Lepidium crassius (C.L.Hitchc.) Al-Shehbaz
  63. Lepidium crassum Heenan & de Lange
  64. Lepidium crenatum (Greene) Rydb.
  65. Lepidium cumingianum Fisch. & C.A.Mey.
  66. Lepidium cuneiforme C.Y.Wu
  67. Lepidium curvinervium (Botsch. & Vved.) Al-Shehbaz & Mumm.
  68. Lepidium cuzcoensis Al-Shehbaz
  69. Lepidium cyclocarpum Thell.
  70. Lepidium davisii Rollins
  71. Lepidium densiflorum Schrad.
  72. Lepidium densipuberulum Al-Shehbaz
  73. Lepidium depressum Thell.
  74. Lepidium desertorum Eckl. & Zeyh.
  75. Lepidium desvauxii Thell.
  76. Lepidium dictyotum A.Gray
  77. Lepidium didymum L.
  78. Lepidium draba L.
  79. Lepidium drummondii Thell.
  80. Lepidium eastwoodiae Wooton
  81. Lepidium echinatum Hewson
  82. Lepidium ecklonii Schrad. ex Regel
  83. Lepidium ecuadorense Thell.
  84. Lepidium englerianum (Muschl.) Al-Shehbaz
  85. Lepidium fasciculatum Thell.
  86. Lepidium fenestratum (Boiss.) D.A.German
  87. Lepidium ferganense Korsh.
  88. Lepidium filicaule C.L.Hitchc.
  89. Lepidium filisegmentum C.L.Hitchc.
  90. Lepidium flavum Torr.
  91. Lepidium flexicaule Kirk
  92. Lepidium flexuosum Thunb.
  93. Lepidium foliosum Desv.
  94. Lepidium fraseri Thell.
  95. Lepidium fremontii S.Watson
  96. Lepidium galapagoensis Al-Shehbaz
  97. Lepidium genistoides Hewson
  98. Lepidium ginninderrense Scarlett
  99. Lepidium glastifolium Desf.
  100. Lepidium gracile (Chodat & Hassl.) Boelcke
  101. Lepidium graminifolium L.
  102. Lepidium grandifructum C.L.Hitchc.
  103. Lepidium heterophyllum Benth.
  104. Lepidium hickenii Al-Shehbaz
  105. Lepidium hirtum (L.) Sm.
  106. Lepidium howei-insulae Thell.
  107. Lepidium huberi S.L.Welsh & Goodrich
  108. Lepidium hypenantion Hewson
  109. Lepidium hyssopifolium Desv.
  110. Lepidium integrifolium Nutt.
  111. Lepidium inyangense Jonsell
  112. Lepidium jaredii Brandegee
  113. Lepidium jarmolenkoi V.M.Vinogr.
  114. Lepidium johnstonii C.L.Hitchc.
  115. Lepidium jujuyanum Al-Shehbaz
  116. Lepidium juvencum Heenan & de Lange
  117. Lepidium karataviense Regel & Schmalh.
  118. Lepidium karelinianum Al-Shehbaz
  119. Lepidium kawarau Petrie
  120. Lepidium keniense Jonsell
  121. Lepidium khalkhalicum Bidarlord & D.A.German
  122. Lepidium kirkii Petrie
  123. Lepidium lacerum C.A.Mey.
  124. Lepidium laeteviride (P.Royen) Hewson
  125. Lepidium lapazianum Al-Shehbaz & S.Beck
  126. Lepidium lasiocarpum Nutt.
  127. Lepidium latifolium L.
  128. Lepidium latipes Hook.
  129. Lepidium lepidioides (Coss. & Durieu) Al-Shehbaz
  130. Lepidium leptopetalum F.Muell.
  131. Lepidium leventii (V.I.Dorof.) D.A.German
  132. Lepidium limenophylax de Lange, Rance & D.A.Norton
  133. Lepidium linearilobum Al-Shehbaz
  134. Lepidium linifolium (Desv.) Steud.
  135. Lepidium lipskyi (N.Busch) Al-Shehbaz & Mumm.
  136. Lepidium litwinowii (Lipsky) Al-Shehbaz
  137. Lepidium longifolium (Boiss.) Al-Shehbaz
  138. Lepidium lyratogynum Hewson
  139. Lepidium lyratum L.
  140. Lepidium maccowagei Hewson
  141. Lepidium macrocarpum (Hedge) D.A.German
  142. Lepidium makateanum Sykes
  143. Lepidium matau Petrie
  144. Lepidium medocinense (Hauman) Al-Shehbaz
  145. Lepidium merrallii F.Muell.
  146. Lepidium meyenii Walp.
  147. Lepidium meyeri Claus
  148. Lepidium minor (Botsch. & Vved.) Al-Shehbaz
  149. Lepidium minutiflorum (Ridl.) Hewson
  150. Lepidium monoplocoides F.Muell.
  151. Lepidium montanum Nutt.
  152. Lepidium mossii Thell.
  153. Lepidium muelleriferdinandii Thell.
  154. Lepidium mummenhoffianum Al-Shehbaz
  155. Lepidium myrianthum Phil.
  156. Lepidium myriocarpum Sond.
  157. Lepidium nanum S.Watson
  158. Lepidium naufragorum Garn.-Jones & D.A.Norton
  159. Lepidium navasii (Pau) Al-Shehbaz
  160. Lepidium nesophilum Hewson ex P.S.Green
  161. Lepidium niloticum (Delile) Sieber ex Steud.
  162. Lepidium nitidum Nutt.
  163. Lepidium oblitum Houliston, Heenan & de Lange
  164. Lepidium oblongum Small
  165. Lepidium obtusatum Kirk
  166. Lepidium obtusum Basiner
  167. Lepidium oleraceum G.Forst. ex Sparrm.
  168. Lepidium olgae (R.M.Vinogr.) Al-Shehbaz & Mumm.
  169. Lepidium oligodontum de Lange & Heenan
  170. Lepidium orbiculare H.St.John
  171. Lepidium orientale (Schrenk) Al-Shehbaz & Mumm.
  172. Lepidium ostleri S.L.Welsh & Goodrich
  173. Lepidium oxycarpum Nutt.
  174. Lepidium oxytrichum Sprague
  175. Lepidium paniculatum (Regel & Schmalh.) Al-Shehbaz
  176. Lepidium panniforme de Lange & Heenan
  177. Lepidium papilliferum (L.F.Hend.) A.Nelson & J.F.Macbr.
  178. Lepidium papillosum F.Muell.
  179. Lepidium parodii Thell.
  180. Lepidium patrinioides (Regel) Al-Shehbaz & Mumm.
  181. Lepidium pavlovii Al-Shehbaz & Mumm.
  182. Lepidium paysonii Rollins
  183. Lepidium pedersenii Al-Shehbaz
  184. Lepidium pedicellosum F.Muell.
  185. Lepidium peregrinum Thell.
  186. Lepidium perfoliatum L.
  187. Lepidium persicum Boiss.
  188. Lepidium philippianum (Kuntze) Thell.
  189. Lepidium phlebopetalum F.Muell.
  190. Lepidium pholidogynum F.Muell.
  191. Lepidium pinnatifidum Ledeb.
  192. Lepidium pinnatisectum (O.E.Schulz) C.L.Hitchc.
  193. Lepidium pinnatum Thunb.
  194. Lepidium platypetalum Hewson
  195. Lepidium propinquum Fisch. & C.A.Mey.
  196. Lepidium pseudodidymum Thell.
  197. Lepidium pseudohyssopifolium Hewson
  198. Lepidium pseudopapillosum Thell.
  199. Lepidium pseudoruderale Thell.
  200. Lepidium pseudotasmanicum Thell.
  201. Lepidium pterocarpum (Botsch. & Vved.) Al-Shehbaz & Mumm.
  202. Lepidium puberulum Bunge
  203. Lepidium pubescens Desv.
  204. Lepidium pumilum Boiss. & Balansa
  205. Lepidium quitense Turcz.
  206. Lepidium rahmeri Phil.
  207. Lepidium ramosissimum A.Nelson
  208. Lepidium reichei Phil. ex Reiche
  209. Lepidium rekohuense de Lange & Heenan
  210. Lepidium rhytidocarpum (Hook.) Al-Shehbaz
  211. Lepidium rigidum Pomel
  212. Lepidium robustum (Pavlov) Al-Shehbaz
  213. Lepidium rotundum DC.
  214. Lepidium ruderale L. Plant FAQs: Lepidium Ruderale – Narrow-leaf Pepperwort – Roadside Pepperweed
  215. Lepidium sagittatum (Kar. & Kir.) Al-Shehbaz
  216. Lepidium sagittulatum Thell.
  217. Lepidium santacruzensis Al-Shehbaz
  218. Lepidium sativum L.
  219. Lepidium scandens Hewson
  220. Lepidium schaffneri Thell.
  221. Lepidium schinzii Thell.
  222. Lepidium schlechteri Thell.
  223. Lepidium seditiosum de Lange, Heenan & J.R.Rolfe
  224. Lepidium serra H.Mann
  225. Lepidium serratum (Poir.) Al-Shehbaz
  226. Lepidium seydelii Al-Shehbaz
  227. Lepidium silaifolium (Hook.f. & Thomson) Al-Shehbaz & Mumm.
  228. Lepidium sisymbrioides Hook.f.
  229. Lepidium solomonii Al-Shehbaz
  230. Lepidium songaricum Schrenk ex Fisch. & C.A.Mey.
  231. Lepidium sordidum A.Gray
  232. Lepidium spathulatum Phil.
  233. Lepidium spicatum Desv.
  234. Lepidium spinosum Ard.
  235. Lepidium steinbachii O.E.Schulz
  236. Lepidium stephan-beckii Al-Shehbaz
  237. Lepidium strictum (S.Watson) Rattan ex B.L.Rob.
  238. Lepidium strongylophyllum F.Muell. ex Benth.
  239. Lepidium stuckertianum (Thell.) Boelcke
  240. Lepidium subalpinum Kom.
  241. Lepidium subcordatum Botsch. & Vved.
  242. Lepidium subulatum L.
  243. Lepidium suluense Marais
  244. Lepidium tandilense Boelcke
  245. Lepidium tenuicaule Kirk
  246. Lepidium thurberi Wooton
  247. Lepidium tianschanicum (Botsch. & Vved.) Al-Shehbaz
  248. Lepidium tiehmii (Rollins) Al-Shehbaz
  249. Lepidium tofaceum Rech.f.
  250. Lepidium tolmaczovii (Junussov) Al-Shehbaz
  251. Lepidium transvaalense Marais
  252. Lepidium trautvetteri (Botsch.) Al-Shehbaz
  253. Lepidium trianae Thell.
  254. Lepidium trifurcum Sond.
  255. Lepidium uzbekistanicum Al-Shehbaz
  256. Lepidium vesicarium L.
  257. Lepidium villarsii Gren. & Godr.
  258. Lepidium violaceum (Munby) Al-Shehbaz
  259. Lepidium virginicum L. Plant FAQs: Lepidium Virginicum – Virginia Pepperweed
  260. Lepidium weigendii Al-Shehbaz
  261. Lepidium werffii Al-Shehbaz
  262. Lepidium xylodes Hewson
  263. Lepidium yelarbonense Al-Shehbaz
  264. Lepidium zambiense (Jonsell) Al-Shehbaz

Why I Find Lepidium Fascinating

What draws me to Lepidium is its combination of familiarity and hidden depths. We often overlook these plants as weeds or simple salad ingredients, but they hold a wealth of potential. Some species are being investigated for their nutritional and medicinal properties, while others offer insights into plant adaptation and evolution.

Take Lepidium draba for example. This invasive species has spread rapidly across various continents. Studying its success can help us understand how plants adapt to new environments and the potential consequences of such invasions.

The Future of Lepidium

I believe Lepidium deserves more attention. Further research into this genus could lead to new discoveries in areas like food security, medicine, and ecological restoration. Imagine harnessing the nutritional power of lesser-known Lepidium species to combat malnutrition or utilizing their medicinal properties to develop new treatments.

Moreover, understanding the ecological roles of various Lepidium species can help us develop more sustainable agricultural practices and conservation strategies. By appreciating the value of these often-overlooked plants, we can contribute to a healthier planet.

In conclusion, Lepidium is a testament to the wonders of the plant kingdom. It’s a genus full of surprises, offering us valuable resources and insights into the natural world. I encourage everyone to take a closer look at these fascinating plants – you might be surprised by what you discover.

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