Lepidium oblongum
Veiny pepper grass
(c) Ryan Sorrells, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Brassicaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Lepidium oblongum (Veiny pepper grass) is a native California herb in the Brassicaceae family, recognized by 2 stamens, 1-2-pinnately lobed leaves.
Veiny pepper grass is a California native annual found in southern Central Coast and southwestern California on bluffs, slopes, disturbed areas, roadsides, flats, and pastures at elevations of 200 to 500 meters. Flowering from March to August, this plant produces small white flowers in elongated clusters with delicate, linear-oblanceolate petals. Growing with erect to decumbent stems 5 to 24 centimeters tall, branching toward the top and covered in stiff hairs. Its basal leaves are 0.7 to 3.5 centimeters long with 1 to 2 pinnate lobes, while mid-stem leaves are obovate to oblanceolate and sessile. The fruit is round to widely obovate, 2.2 to 3.5 millimeters long with a tiny winged tip.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 18 sympatric species; key features are 2 stamens, 1-2-pinnately lobed leaves
Habitat and range
Habitat: Bluffs, slopes, disturbed areas, roadsides, flats, pastures
Elevation: 200-500 m
California counties: Imperial, Ventura, Santa Barbara, San Diego, Orange, San Luis Obispo, Los Angeles, San Joaquin, Nevada, San Bernardino, Riverside, Sacramento, Santa Clara, Colusa, Mendocino, Humboldt, Alameda, Tuolumne, Mariposa, Fresno, Siskiyou, Contra Costa, Amador, Calaveras, Yolo, Monterey
Outside California: to central and southern United States, Central America
Bloom period
Lepidium oblongum blooms Mar-Aug.
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 oblongum native to California?
Yes. Lepidium oblongum is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Lepidium oblongum bloom?
Lepidium oblongum blooms Mar-Aug.
Where in California does Lepidium oblongum grow?
Lepidium oblongum occurs in Imperial, Ventura, Santa Barbara, San Diego, Orange, San Luis Obispo, Los Angeles, San Joaquin and other counties, at elevations of 200-500 m.
What plant family does Lepidium oblongum belong to?
Lepidium oblongum is in the Brassicaceae family, genus Lepidium.
What habitat does Lepidium oblongum grow in?
Lepidium oblongum grows in Bluffs, slopes, disturbed areas, roadsides, flats, pastures.
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.