Brassicaceae

Lepidium draba

Common Names: Hoary cress

Plant Form: Perennial herb. Size: Up to 90 cm tall. Stem: Upright, covered in fine hairs, ribbed, branching near top. Leaves: Greyish or bluish-green with variable shape, alternate along stem. Lower leaves with toothed edges. Flowers: White with 4 small petals up to 4 mm long. In dense, flat-topped clusters at the end of branches. Fruit and Seeds: Heart-shaped capsule 3-5 mm diameter, with 2 chambers containing 1-2 reddish-brown seeds each. Habitat: Cropping areas, roadsides, waste areas. Distinguishing Features: Other Pepperweeds (Lepidium species) have flattened rather than rounded seed capsules.