Lepidium
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
accepts 265 species in the genus. 10 species are found in California.Species include:Lepidium africanumLepidium amelumLepidium amissum - Waitakere scurvy grass ; extinctLepidium aretioides Lepidium armoracia Lepidium apetalum – du xing cai Lepidium arbusculaLepidium aschersonii – spiny peppercressLepidium austrinum – Southern PepperweedLepidium banksiiLepidium barnebyanumLepidium biplicatumLepidium bonariense – peppercressLepidium campestre – field pepperwort, field cressLepidium catapycnonLepidium coronopus – swine cressLepidium davisii – Davis' peppergrassLepidium densiflorum – common pepperweedLepidium desvauxii – bushy peppercressLepidium dictyotumLepidium didymumLepidium draba – hoary cressLepidium drummondiiLepidium echinatumLepidium ecuadorienseLepidium englerianumLepidium fasciculatum – bundled peppercressLepidium flavumLepidium flexicauleLepidium foliosum – leafy peppercressLepidium fremontii – desert pepperweedLepidium genistoidesLepidium ginninderrenseLepidium graminifoliumLepidium howei-insulae – mustard & cressLepidium hypenantionLepidium hyssopifoliumLepidium heterophyllum – Smith's pepperwort, Smith's cressLepidium jaredii – Jared's pepperweedLepidium lasiocarpumLepidium latifolium – pepperweed, dittanderLepidium latipesLepidium lyratogynumLepidium merrallii
- Lepidium medocinense Lepidium meyenii – macaLepidium monoplocoides – winged peppercressLepidium montanum – western pepperweed, mountain pepperweedLepidium nanum – dwarf pepperweedLepidium nesophilumLepidium nitidum – shining pepperweedLepidium oblongumLepidium oleraceum – Cook's scurvy grass Lepidium oxycarpum – forked pepperweedLepidium oxytrichumLepidium papilliferum – slickspot peppergrassLepidium papillosum – warty peppercressLepidium pedicellosumLepidium peregrinumLepidium perfoliatumLepidium peruvianumLepidium phlebopetalumLepidium pholidogynumLepidium pinnatifidumLepidium platypetalum – slender peppercressLepidium pseudohyssopifoliumLepidium pseudoruderaleLepidium pseudotasmanicumLepidium puberulumLepidium quitenseLepidium rotundum – veined peppercressLepidium ruderale – narrow-leaved pepperwortLepidium sagittulatumLepidium sativum – garden cressLepidium scandensLepidium squamatumLepidium strictumLepidium thurberi – Thurber's peppergrass, Thurber's pepperweedLepidium virginicum – Virginia peppercress
- ''Lepidium xylodes''