Lepidium latipes
Dwarf pepper grass
(c) Konshau Duman, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Brassicaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Conservation status: CNPS 1B.2
Lepidium latipes (Dwarf pepper grass) is a native California herb in the Brassicaceae family, recognized by compact inflorescence, greenish fringed petals, large deeply notched fruits.
Dwarf pepper grass is a rare (CNPS 1B.2) California native annual found in northern coastal, northern coastal ranges, Central Valley, central coastal, San Francisco Bay, southern coastal ranges, and southern coastal regions in alkaline soils, vernal pool margins, salt marsh edges, and pastures at elevations below 700 meters. Flowering from March to June, this plant produces small green-white flowers in compact, cylindric clusters. Growing with erect or decumbent stems 2 to 15 centimeters tall, it emerges with one or several stems from the base, which may be simple or branched. Its basal leaves are linear, early-deciduous, 2 to 10 centimeters long, and can be entire, dentate, or pinnately divided into 2 to 10 lobe pairs. The fruit is an oblong-ovate structure 5 to 7 millimeters long with winged tips and thick, net-veined valve walls.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 17 sympatric species; key features are compact inflorescence, greenish fringed petals, large deeply notched fruits
Habitat and range
Habitat: Alkaline soils, vernal pool margins, salt marsh edges, pastures
Elevation: < 700 m
California counties: Butte, Colusa, Contra Costa, Monterey, San Benito, San Joaquin, San Luis Obispo, Yolo, Santa Clara, Mendocino, Riverside, Santa Barbara, Lake, Los Angeles, Sacramento, Tulare, Tuolumne, Marin, San Diego, Glenn, Napa, Alameda, Tehama, Humboldt, Solano, Merced, Sonoma, Stanislaus
Outside California: Baja California
Bloom period
Lepidium latipes blooms Mar-Jun.
Conservation status
CNPS 1B.2
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 latipes native to California?
Yes. Lepidium latipes is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Lepidium latipes bloom?
Lepidium latipes blooms Mar-Jun.
Where in California does Lepidium latipes grow?
Lepidium latipes occurs in Butte, Colusa, Contra Costa, Monterey, San Benito, San Joaquin, San Luis Obispo, Yolo and other counties, at elevations of < 700 m.
What plant family does Lepidium latipes belong to?
Lepidium latipes is in the Brassicaceae family, genus Lepidium.
Is Lepidium latipes rare or endangered?
Lepidium latipes carries California Rare Plant Rank 1B.2, state rank S1.
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.