Lepidium africanum (Burm.f.) DC.

Lepidium species are annual or perennial herbs or rarely undershrubs, glabrous or pubescent with simple or branched hairs, not scapose. Rootstocks slender, taproot. Stem erect, ascending, rarely decumbent or procumbent, leafy, simple or usually branched, glabrous or pubescent. Basal leaves simple, rarely absent, rosulate or not, linear lanceolate to oblong, base cuneate to attenuate, margin entire to pinnatifid, apex acute to obtuse, petiole short to sessile, cauline leaves usually similar but smaller, base auriculate or not, petiole subsessile to sessile. Inflorescence raceme corymbs, few to many flowered, elongated or not in fruit, ebracteate. Flowers bisexual, white, yellow, pink, pedicel erect, divaricate, stout, slender, ascending, sepals 4, ovate-oblong, usually deciduous or sometimes persistent, lateral pair base not saccate, apex obtuse, petals 4, sometimes rudimentary, obovate-oblong to orbicular, base cuneate, margins entire, apex obtuse or emarginated, claw distinct or absent. Stamens 2 or 4, in equal length, median or lateral, or 6 tetradynamous, filaments not dilated near the base, anthers ovate-oblong, nectar glands 4 to 6, median glands usually present. Ovary superior, sessile, ellipsoid-cylindrical, bicarpellary, ovules 2. Fruit silicula, dehiscent, ovate-obovate to orbicular-obovoid, terete, angustiseptate, compressed, keeled or rounded at the back, valves prominent or not veined, glabrous or pubescent, replum rounded, septum complete, membranous, style obsolete, stigma capitate, entire or rarely bilobed. Seeds 1-2, each in a locule, brown, compressed or flattened, ovate-ovoid, winged, smooth minutely reticulate, nicely mucilaginous when soaked, cotyledons usually incumbent.

Lepidium species flowers are complete, bisexual, i.e., with functional male (androecium) and female (gynoecium), including stamens, carpels and ovary. Pollination is entomophilous i.e., by insects, or cleistogamy i.e., by self or allogamy i.e., by cross pollination. Flowering/Fruiting: March—August.

Seeds may be dispersed by autochory i.e., self dispersal, anemochory i.e., wind dispersal, zoochory i.e., dispersal by birds or animals, anthropochory i.e., dispersal by humans.

Annual, biennial or short lived perennial herbs, glabrous or sparsely pubescent with simple or branched hairs, about 25-75 cm tall, not scapose. Rootstocks slender, taproot. Stem erect, ascending and spreading, leafy, usually branched from the base, subglabrous or pubescent. Basal leaves simple, alternate, short lived, oblanceolate, base attenuate, margin sunentire, subpinnate to pinnatifid, apex obtuse, petiole short to subsessile, cauline leaves smaller, oblong-lanceolate, about 3-7 x 0.4-0.8 cm across, base attenuate, margins denticulate, apex acute, about petiole subsessile to sessile. Inflorescence raceme corymbs, terminal and axillary, many flowered, elongated in fruit, up to 15 cm long in fruit, ebracteate. Flowers bisexual, greenish white, cream white, pedicel erect, divaricate, stout, slender, ascending, puberulent, about 2.5-4 mm long, sepals 4, ovate-oblong, usually deciduous, margins membranous, lateral pair base not saccate, apex obtuse, about 0.5-0.8 mm long, petals 4, sometimes rudimentary, narrow spathulate-obovate, base cuneate, margins entire, about 0.25-0.5 mm long. Stamens 2, in equal length, filaments not dilated near the base, anthers ovate-oblong. Ovary superior, sessile, ellipsoid-cylindrical, bicarpellary, ovules 2. Fruit silicula, dehiscent, ovate-elliptic, terete, angustiseptate, about 2-3 x 1.5-2.5 mm across, compressed, keeled or rounded at the back, apex notched, glabrous or puberulent, replum rounded, septum complete, membranous, style short, stigma included with the apical notch. Seeds 2, each in a locule, reddish brown, slightly compressed or flattened, ovate-ovoid, winged, about 1.25 x 0.7 mm across, smooth minutely reticulate, nicely mucilaginous when soaked, cotyledons usually incumbent.

Lepidium species are susceptible to various insect pests, virus, mildews and moulds.

Roadsides, thickets and waste places.

Not evaluated (IUCN).

In many African countries leaves are used as vegetable and to treat cough and bronchitis. Dried unripe seeds are used for treating stomach ulcers.