Lepidium nitidum Nutt.
Family: Brassicaceae

Pertinent Synonyms & Notes (particularly those used in California; go to GRIN for other synonyms)

none

Pertinent Common Names (particularly those used in California; go to GRIN for other common names)

shining pepperweed

Primary Disseminule Type

seed, fruit segment

Description (diagnostics are in brown)

Fruit a dehiscent 2-chambered silicle with 1 seed per chamber, disk-shaped to ovate in outline, (2.5)3–5(6.5) mm long x (2)3–4(5.4) mm wide, strongly compressed perpendicular to the partition, glabrous or with a few marginal hairs, smooth to obscurely veined, shiny, marginal rim curved towards one face, apically winged, with notch 0.2–0.6(1) mm deep. Stylar/stigma remnant (when present) <0.1 mm long.

Seed ovate-oblong to semi-obovate (with one side straight), compressed, cross-section ± oblong, (1.6)1.8–2.2(2.6) mm long x (1)1.2–1.7 mm wide x 0.3–0.6 mm thick, unwinged. Surface brown with whitish areas, dull, rough (longitudinally striate, obscurely reticulate), with a longitudinal groove outlining the radicle on each side of the seed (a second groove, when present, delineates the individual cotyledons).

Hilum in basal notch, with narrow, white funicular remnant.

Embryo bent, cotyledons incumbent, endosperm lacking.

Similar Species

See Similar Species Comparison Chart and compare to similar Brassicaceae seeds.

Risk Assessment (codes in yellow or red indicate cause for concern; assessments are current as of mid-2011; click AUQP, NZBORIC, or NZBPI for access to the most recent versions of these databases and possible assessment changes)

AUQP, NZBORIC, NZBPI