Lepidium dictyotum
Alkali pepperweed
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Family: Brassicaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Lepidium dictyotum (Alkali pepperweed) is a native California herb in the Brassicaceae family, recognized by strongly net-veined fruits, U-shaped notch, 4 stamens.
Alkali pepperweed is a California native annual found in the Great Basin, northern Coast Ranges, Sierra Nevada foothills, Central Valley, and eastern Mojave Desert in saline soils, dry stream beds, and sandy flats at elevations below 1,600 meters. Flowering from March to June, this delicate plant produces small white flowers in slender, elongate clusters. Growing with erect or ascending stems 2 to 13 centimeters tall, it emerges with multiple stems spreading from the base, some lying close to the ground. Its basal leaves are pinnately lobed with narrow, linear segments, while stem leaves are thin and linear, typically 1 to 5 centimeters long and less than 2 millimeters wide. The fruit is a small, flattened ovate pod with a distinctive winged tip and net-veined surface.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 23 sympatric species; key features are strongly net-veined fruits, U-shaped notch, 4 stamens
Habitat and range
Habitat: Saline soils, dry stream beds, roadsides, sandy flats, fields, meadows, dried pools
Elevation: < 1600 m
California counties: Kern, Inyo, Kings, Lassen, Los Angeles, Monterey, San Benito, San Joaquin, San Luis Obispo, Tulare, Riverside, San Bernardino, Fresno, Contra Costa, Imperial, Merced, Madera, Alameda, San Diego, Solano, Stanislaus, Glenn, Butte, Lake, Ventura, Santa Barbara, Yolo
Outside California: to Washington, Utah, Baja California
Bloom period
Lepidium dictyotum blooms Mar-Jun.
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 dictyotum native to California?
Yes. Lepidium dictyotum is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Lepidium dictyotum bloom?
Lepidium dictyotum blooms Mar-Jun.
Where in California does Lepidium dictyotum grow?
Lepidium dictyotum occurs in Kern, Inyo, Kings, Lassen, Los Angeles, Monterey, San Benito, San Joaquin and other counties, at elevations of < 1600 m.
What plant family does Lepidium dictyotum belong to?
Lepidium dictyotum is in the Brassicaceae family, genus Lepidium.
What habitat does Lepidium dictyotum grow in?
Lepidium dictyotum grows in Saline soils, dry stream beds, roadsides, sandy flats, fields, meadows, dried pools.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · 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.