Lepidium montanum
Encyclopedia
Lepidium montanum is a species of flowering plant in the mustard family
known by the common name mountain pepperweed. It is native to western North America from Oregon
to Montana
to northern Mexico, where it can be found in a number of habitats, often on salty or gravelly
soils. There are several varieties, many of which are difficult to distinguish.
s a few centimeters wide. Each small flower has white to cream-colored petals about 2 millimeters long and two to six stamen
s. The fruit is an oval-shaped capsule a few millimeters long.
Brassicaceae
Brassicaceae, a medium sized and economically important family of flowering plants , are informally known as the mustards, mustard flowers, the crucifers or the cabbage family....
known by the common name mountain pepperweed. It is native to western North America from Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
to Montana
Montana
Montana is a state in the Western United States. The western third of Montana contains numerous mountain ranges. Smaller, "island ranges" are found in the central third of the state, for a total of 77 named ranges of the Rocky Mountains. This geographical fact is reflected in the state's name,...
to northern Mexico, where it can be found in a number of habitats, often on salty or gravelly
Gravel
Gravel is composed of unconsolidated rock fragments that have a general particle size range and include size classes from granule- to boulder-sized fragments. Gravel can be sub-categorized into granule and cobble...
soils. There are several varieties, many of which are difficult to distinguish.
Description
This is a short, spreading, shrublike biennial herb producing a rounded form up to about 40 centimeters tall and greater in width. The leaves near the base of the plant are up to 15 centimeters long and are divided into several toothed lobes; those further up on the stem are shorter and often undivided. The plant flowers abundantly in rounded to cylindrical inflorescenceInflorescence
An inflorescence is a group or cluster of flowers arranged on a stem that is composed of a main branch or a complicated arrangement of branches. Strictly, it is the part of the shoot of seed plants where flowers are formed and which is accordingly modified...
s a few centimeters wide. Each small flower has white to cream-colored petals about 2 millimeters long and two to six stamen
Stamen
The stamen is the pollen producing reproductive organ of a flower...
s. The fruit is an oval-shaped capsule a few millimeters long.
Varieties
Varieties of the species include:- var. alpinum - alpine pepperweed, Wasatch pepperwort - endemic to UtahUtahUtah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
- var. claronense - mountain pepperweed, Casto Canyon pepperwort - endemic to Utah
- var. coloradense - endemic to ColoradoColoradoColorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
- var. neeseae - Elizabeth's pepperweed, Neese's pepperwort - endemic to Utah
- var. nevadense - Pueblo Valley peppergrass - native to Oregon and NevadaNevadaNevada is a state in the western, mountain west, and southwestern regions of the United States. With an area of and a population of about 2.7 million, it is the 7th-largest and 35th-most populous state. Over two-thirds of Nevada's people live in the Las Vegas metropolitan area, which contains its...