Lepidium nitidum
Peppergrass
(c) Adam J. Searcy, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Brassicaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Lepidium nitidum (Peppergrass) is a native California herb in the Brassicaceae family, recognized by 4 stamens, round fruits, pinnately divided leaves.
Peppergrass is a California native annual herb found throughout most of California, except the eastern desert, in alkaline soils, meadows, pastures, dry vernal pools, and coastal fields at elevations below 1,000 meters. Flowering from February to March, this plant produces small white flowers less than 3 millimeters long. Growing with erect to decumbent stems 10 to 35 centimeters tall, it often emerges with multiple stems from its base and may occasionally branch toward the top. Its distinctive leaves are pinnately divided, with linear to oblong lobes that are early-deciduous, with basal leaves reaching up to 7 centimeters long. The fruit is round to broadly ovate, flattened with a small wing-like tip, measuring 3 to 5.5 millimeters across.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 25 sympatric species; key features are 4 stamens, round fruits, pinnately divided leaves
Habitat and range
Habitat: Alkaline soils, meadows, pastures, dry vernal pools, fields, beaches
Elevation: < 1000 m
California counties: Humboldt, Kern, Alameda, Butte, Contra Costa, Fresno, Lake, Los Angeles, Madera, Mariposa, Merced, Monterey, Orange, Riverside, San Diego, San Francisco, San Joaquin, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Santa Clara, Shasta, Tulare, Ventura, Yolo, Amador, Kings, San Benito, Napa, Santa Cruz, Sonoma, Sutter, Tehama, San Bernardino, Mendocino, Tuolumne, Colusa, Calaveras, San Mateo, Solano, Glenn, Nevada, El Dorado, Marin, Inyo, Stanislaus, Siskiyou, Sacramento, Placer, Yuba, Plumas
Outside California: to Washington, Baja California
Bloom period
Lepidium nitidum blooms Feb-Mar.
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 nitidum native to California?
Yes. Lepidium nitidum is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Lepidium nitidum bloom?
Lepidium nitidum blooms Feb-Mar.
Where in California does Lepidium nitidum grow?
Lepidium nitidum occurs in Humboldt, Kern, Alameda, Butte, Contra Costa, Fresno, Lake, Los Angeles and other counties, at elevations of < 1000 m.
What plant family does Lepidium nitidum belong to?
Lepidium nitidum is in the Brassicaceae family, genus Lepidium.
What habitat does Lepidium nitidum grow in?
Lepidium nitidum grows in Alkaline soils, meadows, pastures, dry vernal pools, fields, beaches.
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.