Rare herb worth protecting

Chances are the aromatic peppercress, or lepidium hyssopifolium, is simply a humble native, in reality there is little known about it.

Whatever its potential for Bungendore’s Rainer Rehwinkel, it is a rare herb worth preserving.

‘‘Like many native plant species the properties of aromatic peppercress have not yet been fully studied, so while it may look like a common weed it may also have economic values that would give added reason to protect it,’’ Mr Rehwinkel said.

‘‘Aromatic peppercress belongs to the cabbage family but we do not know whether it is a culinary herb, has medicinal properties, or offers some other yet-to-be discovered value.’’

The senior threatened species officer with the NSW Office of Environment and Heritage first spotted the peppercress on his property in 2004.

At the time it was one of only two known populations in NSW.

The peppercress was once distributed from Queensland to South Australia.

It has since become endangered due to weed competition, grazing and other threats.

Nearly seven years later Mr Rehwinkel has collected about 70,000 seeds to help spread the native through seed banks and establishing new populations in the wild.

‘‘As part of a translocation program, in 2011 a team of volunteers from Friends of Grasslands, Landcare and Bush Heritage Australia, and I managed to sow seeds of aromatic peppercress at five sites in NSW,’’ he said.

‘‘There has been no action at four of these sites, but plants have emerged at Scottsdale, the Bush Heritage Australia reserve near Bredbo.

‘‘These plants are now flowering so we hope a new colony will be established there soon.’’

One of the main obstacles to the spread of the herb was the fact it could often be mistaken for a weed and removed by gardeners.

The ultimate cause of its demise across the state was still unclear.

‘‘Aromatic peppercress may crop up when land is disturbed, but if it isn’t recognised, it might be sprayed with herbicide or removed accidentally,’’ Mr Rehwinkel said.

‘‘It is possible that other plants have emerged at sites throughout the region, but because young plants can be mistaken for a weed, few would survive.’’

For those of you who are wondering – the peppercress tastes a little bit like rocket lettuce.

‘‘It certainly has potential as a uniquely Australian salad herb,’’ Mr Rehwinkel said.