Scientific name: Lepidium africanum (N. Burm.) DC

Common name: Common pepper cress, rubble peppercress

Family: Brassicaceae

Origin:

Native of South Africa.

Habit:

Annual or short-lived perennial herb forming a rosette of leaves at first, later growing upright flowering stems, 20-60 cm tall.

Habitat:

Common weed of disturbed habitats and roadsides.

General description:

Stems and leaves

Leaves are narrow, possibly with a few serrations on the sparsely hairy margins.

Flowers and fruit

Flowers are tiny, with whitish thread-like petals. They are borne in spikes at the tips of the flowering stems. Fruits are flattened pods with a notched apex.

Distinguishing characteristics:

An annual or perennial herb first forming a rosette of leaves, later growing upright leafy stems which produce flower spikes at the tips. Leaf margins are mostly entire, with only a few serrations, a feature which distinguished this species from Lepidium bonariensis (Argentine peppercress) which has divided leaves and also is more hairy

Noxious status:

Not noxious.

Sources:

Kleinschmidt, H.E., Holland, A. and Simpson, P. (1996). Suburban Weeds. 3rd Edition. Department of Primary Industries, Brisbane.

Auld, B.A. and Medd, R.W. (1996). Weeds: An Illustrated Botanical Guide to Weeds of Australia. Inkata Press, Sydney.