Sand Peppergrass
Lepidium lasiocarpum
This image was produced by scanning from live specimen found at Phoenix, Maricopa Co., Arizona, USA, Feb. 9, 2003.
FLOWERS: Minute flowers have white/purplish petals that barely extend
beyond the calyx making the flowers appear green.
SPRING ANNUAL: Grows quickly after winter/spring rains. Rarely more than
20 cm tall.
FRUIT: Disc shaped with slight notch at apex and variously clothed in
fine trichomes.
LEAVES: Elyptic leaves are toothed on margins.
STEMS: Entirely herbaceous and ephemeral.
RANGE: Common across the Sonoran Desert on rocky slopes, in washes and
on flats depending on rainfall.
This is another very common desert wildflower in Arizona. But it is sometimes so small that casual observers usually see it as "grass" not noticing the fascinating seed pods or minute flowers. The fruit is shown enlarged on the right; there is a notch at the apex, the pod is flattened as is the peduncle. Each side contains one seed. The plants have a mildly bitter, mustard taste.