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Scientific Name | Lepidium chalepensis (Cardaria chalepensis, Lepidium chalepense) | USDA PLANTS Symbol | CACH42 |
Common Name | Lenspod Whitetop | ITIS Taxonomic Serial No. | 823110 |
Family | Brassicaceae (Mustard) | SEINet Reference |
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Description | Life zones and habitat: Plains to montane (4300 to 10000 ft.); disturbed areas, pastures, fields, riverbanks. Plant: Perennial 4 to 28 inches high, one or more stems, branched above; foliage densely hairy to smooth. Leaves: Basal leaves obovate, spatulate, or ovate, 1 to 3-3/8 inches long on petioles 1/3 to 1-3/4 inches long, edges nearly entire or dentate; stem leaves obovate to oblong or lanceolate to oblanceolate, bases auriculate or saggitate and sessile, 1 to 3-2/3 inches long; surfaces smooth or with pubescent hairs. Inflorescence: Dense, flat-topped cluster of many flowers; each with 4 green sepals, 4 white petals and 6 yellow stamens. Bloom Period: May to June. Fruit: Nearly round, smooth and less than 1/4-inch across, tip without notch. References: "Flora of Colorado" by Jennifer Ackerfield, Jepson eFlora, Flora of North America and SW Colorado Wildflowers.com. |
BONAP Distribution Map![]() |
Colorado Status: Introduced |
Scientific Name | Lepidium draba (Cardaria draba) | USDA PLANTS Symbol | CADR |
Common Name | Hoary Cress, Whitetop | ITIS Taxonomic Serial No. | 515765 |
Family | Brassicaceae (Mustard) | SEINet Reference |
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Description | Life zones and habitat: Plains to montane (3700 to 8700 ft.); roadsides, disturbed areas, agricultural areas. Plant: Perennial 4 to 30 inches high, one or more stems; foliage hairy to smooth. Leaves: Basal leaves obovate to spatulate, 1-1/4 to 4-3/4 inches long on short petioles, edges entire to toothed or sinuate; oblong to obovate stem leaves, bases auriculate or saggitate and sessile; surfaces smooth or with pubescent hairs. Inflorescence: Flat-topped, dense group of many flowers, 4 green sepals, 4 white petals and 6 yellow stamens. Bloom Period: May to June. Fruit: Heart-shaped, smooth and less than 1/4-inch across, tip without notch. References: "Flora of Colorado" by Jennifer Ackerfield, Jepson eFlora, SEINet and SW Colorado Wildflowers.com. |
BONAP Distribution Map![]() |
Colorado Status: Introduced NOXIOUS WEED |
Scientific Name | Lepidium virginicum | USDA PLANTS Symbol | LEVI3 |
Common Name | Peppergrass, Virginia Pepperweed | ITIS Taxonomic Serial No. | 22955 |
Family | Brassicaceae (Mustard) | SEINet Reference |
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Description | Life zones and habitat: Widely distributed in North America; in Colorado, plains to foothills (5000 to 9500 ft.); dry, usually open areas. Plant: Erect, leafy annual 4 to 20 inches tall. Leaves: Leaves alternate; lower leaves 2 to 6 inches long, spatulate to obovate, with a few pointed teeth along edges (pinnately lobed to dissected); upper leaves not clasping, smaller than lower leaves, linear to oblanceolate, tips pointed, sometimes toothed edges, sparsely hairy. Inflorescence: Multiple clusters (racemes) up to 4 inches long with many small flowers each with 4 green sepals, 4 white petals nearly twice as long as sepals, and 2 to 4 stamens. Bloom Period: May to August. References: "Flora of Colorado" by Jennifer Ackerfield and SEINet. |
BONAP Distribution Map![]() |
Colorado Status: Native |