Lepidium africanum
(Burm. f.) DC., Syst. Nat. 2: 552. 1821, quoad basionym,
excl. specim. et descr. Thlaspi africanum Burm. f., Prodr. Fl. Cap. 17. 1768. Lepidium
divaricatum auct. non Soland. 1789; Bhattacharyya & Majumdar in Bull. Bot. Surv. India
18: 214, f. 1 - 3. 1976.
Eng.: Rubble-pepper-cress, Common-pepper-cress.
Herbs, annual or biennial; stems one to many from base, ascending and spreading, densely puberulent with very short retrose or straight hairs. Basal leaves short-lived, oblanceoate, subpinnate; cauline leaves not distinctly petioled, oblong-lanceolate, acute, dentate, up to 4 cm long, attenuate at base, acute at apex. Racemes terminal and axillary, dense in fruit, up to 6 cm long; pedicels arcuately patent, 2.5 - 4 mm long, puberulent. Sepals ovate with membranous margins, 0.5 - 0.75 mm long. Petals narrowly spathulate or linear, 0.25 - 0.5 mm long. Fruits on 4 - 6 cm long racemes,elliptic to ovate, distinctly emarginate and notched, 1.8 - 3 x 1.5 - 2 mm, with shallow and narrow apical notch; style very short; stigma included within the notch. Seeds ovoid, slightly compressed reddish brown, 1.25 x 0.7 mm; cotyledons incumbent.
Fl. & Fr. Aug.
Distrib. India: Himachal Pradesh.
S. Africa and Australia.
Notes. For a discussion on the correct identity and nomenclature of this species, see Bhaumik & Thothathri in Bull. Bot. Surv. India 24: 214 - 215. 1982.
Herbs, annual or biennial; stems one to many from base, ascending and spreading, densely puberulent with very short retrose or straight hairs. Basal leaves short-lived, oblanceoate, subpinnate; cauline leaves not distinctly petioled, oblong-lanceolate, acute, dentate, up to 4 cm long, attenuate at base, acute at apex. Racemes terminal and axillary, dense in fruit, up to 6 cm long; pedicels arcuately patent, 2.5 - 4 mm long, puberulent. Sepals ovate with membranous margins, 0.5 - 0.75 mm long. Petals narrowly spathulate or linear, 0.25 - 0.5 mm long. Fruits on 4 - 6 cm long racemes,elliptic to ovate, distinctly emarginate and notched, 1.8 - 3 x 1.5 - 2 mm, with shallow and narrow apical notch; style very short; stigma included within the notch. Seeds ovoid, slightly compressed reddish brown, 1.25 x 0.7 mm; cotyledons incumbent.
Fl. & Fr. Aug.
Distrib. India: Himachal Pradesh.
S. Africa and Australia.
Notes. For a discussion on the correct identity and nomenclature of this species, see Bhaumik & Thothathri in Bull. Bot. Surv. India 24: 214 - 215. 1982.
