Lepidium flavum
Yellow pepper grass
(c) Jim Morefield, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Brassicaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Lepidium flavum (Yellow pepper grass) is a native California herb in the Brassicaceae family, recognized by yellow petals, prostrate/decumbent habit.
Yellow pepper grass is a California native annual found in the eastern Sierra Nevada desert regions, including sagebrush scrub and sandy or alkaline soils at elevations of 600 to 1,600 meters. Flowering from March to June, this plant produces small yellow flowers with spoon-shaped petals about 2 to 3 millimeters long. Growing prostrate or decumbent with spreading stems 20 to 40 centimeters tall, it has a branched base and delicate structure. Its distinctive leaves form a basal rosette with spoon-shaped to oblanceolate blades 1.3 to 5.2 centimeters long, often pinnately lobed with small ovate segments. The fruits are flattened, nearly round, with divergent-winged tips measuring 2.5 to 3.8 millimeters wide.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 16 sympatric species; key features are yellow petals, prostrate/decumbent habit
Habitat and range
Habitat: Alkaline or sandy soils, sagebrush scrub, mesas, floodplains, washes, roadsides
Elevation: 600-1600 m
California counties: San Bernardino, Inyo, Kern, Los Angeles, Mono, San Diego, Riverside
Outside California: Nevada, Baja California
Bloom period
Lepidium flavum 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 flavum native to California?
Yes. Lepidium flavum is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Lepidium flavum bloom?
Lepidium flavum blooms Mar-Jun.
Where in California does Lepidium flavum grow?
Lepidium flavum occurs in San Bernardino, Inyo, Kern, Los Angeles, Mono, San Diego, Riverside, at elevations of 600-1600 m.
What plant family does Lepidium flavum belong to?
Lepidium flavum is in the Brassicaceae family, genus Lepidium.
What habitat does Lepidium flavum grow in?
Lepidium flavum grows in Alkaline or sandy soils, sagebrush scrub, mesas, floodplains, washes, roadsides.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos · CDFW CNDDB
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.