Family |
Brassicaceae
Lepidium draba
L.
Lepidium draba L.
First published in Sp. Pl.: 645 (1753).
(Nouvelle Flore du Liban et de la Syrie, vol. 2, p. 85, Pl. XXXIII, 5; 1970)
Description
Life-form & habit: Perennial with erect stems, 15–90 cm tall, hairless or more often slightly hairy.
Leaves: Obovate to obovate-oblong, with wavy-toothed margins. Basal leaves stalked and wedge-shaped at the base; stem leaves stalkless and clasping.
Inflorescence & flowers: Short, greenish-white sepals and white petals about 4 mm long.
Fruit: Swollen, hairless silicles, 3–4 mm long and 3–5 mm wide, with a netted vein pattern, a heart-shaped base and an angled tip. Style about 1 mm long; fruit without wings and indehiscent.
Flowering and habitat
Phenology: March–May.
Habitat & elevation: Roadsides, cultivated ground and similar disturbed places; common in Mouterde’s account.
Distribution
Lebanese distribution: The Saida area, Beirut, near Broummana, Asfouriye, Dahr el Baidar, Ibl es Saki and Taanayel.
Syrian distribution: West of Damascus, Raboue, Qaldoun, Hama, the Hama–Homs road, east of Qamechliye, Meskene, Ezraa, Soueida, Mazraa and Chahba.
Recorded locations: Sannine, Tannourine.
Native range: Albania, Algeria, Altay, Austria, Baleares, Bulgaria, Central European Russia, China North-Central, Corse, Cyprus, East Aegean Is., East European Russia, Egypt, France, Greece, Gulf States, Hungary, Iran, Iraq, Italy, Kazakhstan, Kirgizstan, Kriti, Krym, Lebanon-Syria, Libya, Manchuria, Morocco, North Caucasus, Northwest European Russia, NW. Balkan Pen., Oman, Pakistan, Palestine, Romania, Sardegna, Saudi Arabia, Sicilia, Sinai, South European Russia, Spain, Transcaucasus, Tunisia, Turkmenistan, Türkiye, Türkiye-in-Europe, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, West Himalaya, Xinjiang, Yemen.
Introduced into: Alberta, Argentina Northeast, Argentina Northwest, Argentina South, Arizona, Azores, Baltic States, Belarus, Belgium, Bolivia, British Columbia, California, Cape Provinces, Chile Central, Chile North, Chile South, Colorado, Connecticut, Czechia-Slovakia, Denmark, District of Columbia, Finland, Free State, Germany, Great Britain, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Ireland, Irkutsk, Japan, Kansas, Kentucky, Manitoba, Maryland, Massachusetts, Mexico Central, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Netherlands, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New South Wales, New York, North Dakota, Norway, Nova Scotia, Ohio, Oklahoma, Ontario, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Poland, Portugal, Primorye, Queensland, Rhode I., Sakhalin, Saskatchewan, South Australia, South Dakota, Sweden, Switzerland, Tasmania, Uruguay, Utah, Vermont, Victoria, Washington, West Siberia, Western Australia, Western Sahara, Wisconsin, Wyoming.
⚠️ Taxonomic note:
Mouterde uses Cardaria draba (L.) Desv., a homotypic synonym of Lepidium draba confirmed by Kew. The separately treated C. chalepensis is not included here.