Lepidium densiflorum
Common pepper grass
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Family: Brassicaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Lepidium densiflorum (Common pepper grass) is a native California herb in the Brassicaceae family, recognized by 2 stamens, no/minimal petals, club-shaped rachis hairs.
Common pepper grass is a California native annual found in the Klamath Ranges, northern Sierra Nevada, Central Valley, southern California Coast, Great Basin, and Mojave Desert in fields, pastures, meadows, and disturbed sites at elevations up to 3,500 meters. Flowering from May to July, this plant produces small white flowers in elongated clusters with thread-like petals. Growing with erect, branching stems 25 to 50 centimeters tall, it develops characteristic spoon-shaped or oblanceolate leaves that are often serrate or pinnately lobed. Its mid-stem leaves are narrow, tapering at the base, and range from 1.3 to 6.2 centimeters long with a width of 1.5 to 10 millimeters. The fruit is an obovate, flattened pod 2.5 to 3 millimeters long with a delicate winged tip.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 24 sympatric species; key features are 2 stamens, no/minimal petals, club-shaped rachis hairs
Habitat and range
Habitat: Fields, pastures, meadows, disturbed sites, floodplains, chaparral
Elevation: < 3500 m
California counties: El Dorado, Inyo, Los Angeles, San Diego, Tulare, Madera, Mono, Alpine, Mariposa, San Francisco, Riverside, San Bernardino, Fresno, Placer, Nevada, Sierra, Orange, Humboldt, Modoc, San Luis Obispo, Kern, Santa Barbara, Ventura, Siskiyou, Monterey
Outside California: North America, naturalized in Europe, Asia, South America
Bloom period
Lepidium densiflorum blooms May-Jul.
How to tell it apart
vs Capsella: Small round-to-oval pods versus distinctive triangular heart-shaped pods.; vs Cotula: Mustard with seed pods and 4 petals versus composite with disk flowers only.; vs Soliva: Mustard with flattened seed pods versus composite with spiny achenes.; vs Thysanocarpus: Fruits stand upright or spread versus hanging downward in Thysanocarpus.; vs Lobularia: Flattened oval pods with 1-2 seeds versus inflated round pods with 2 seeds.
Frequently asked questions
Is Lepidium densiflorum native to California?
Yes. Lepidium densiflorum is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Lepidium densiflorum bloom?
Lepidium densiflorum blooms May-Jul.
Where in California does Lepidium densiflorum grow?
Lepidium densiflorum occurs in El Dorado, Inyo, Los Angeles, San Diego, Tulare, Madera, Mono, Alpine and other counties, at elevations of < 3500 m.
What plant family does Lepidium densiflorum belong to?
Lepidium densiflorum is in the Brassicaceae family, genus Lepidium.
What habitat does Lepidium densiflorum grow in?
Lepidium densiflorum grows in Fields, pastures, meadows, disturbed sites, floodplains, chaparral.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-10-07
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.