Common Peppercress - a weed (*Lepidium africanum)

Family: Brassicaceae (Cabbage family).

Native of Africa.

Occurrence: A widespread and common weed on roadsides, waste areas and farmland. It is also an environmental weed.

Identification:

• it is a branched plant to about half a metre
• the small white flowers are at the tips of the stems, above the earlier flowers
• the small, two-chambered fruit are on short stalks along the upper part of the stems
• the fruit are about as wide as long
• the leaves are narrow and often have small teeth.

Similar species: There are some native peppercresses, some of which are rare and endangered. None of these have been recorded for this district. Other introduced peppercress species grow in Victoria. Argentine Peppercress (L. bonariense) has deeply divided leaves. Field Cress (L. campestre) is densely hairy. Other plants recently reclassified as Lepidium are Lesser Swinecress (L. didymum) and Hoary Cress (L. drabra).

Photo: 1 & 2. Common Peppercress in flower and fruit. The numerous flowers are crowded at the tips of the stems, and have small, thread-like petals. The fruit are more conspicuous than the petals.
3: The flowers are crowded at the ends of the stems. The fruit are divided along the centre.
4. Clumps of Common Pepprcress. Lewis Road, Walmer. Castlemaine