Lepidium perfoliatum
Clasping pepperweed
(c) Brodie Cass Talbott, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Brassicaceae · Type: Herb · Not Native
Lepidium perfoliatum (Clasping pepperweed) is a non-native California herb in the Brassicaceae family, recognized by perfoliate upper leaves, glaucous appearance, pale yellow petals.
Clasping pepperweed is a naturalized annual herb found in northern California regions including the Cascade Range, northern Sierra Nevada, Central Valley, southern Coast Ranges, Great Basin, and Desert areas at elevations up to 2,450 meters. Flowering from March to June, this plant produces pale yellow flowers in small clusters with narrowly spoon-shaped petals. Growing 15 to 43 centimeters tall with erect, branched stems that become glaucous and slightly hairy, it develops distinctive leaves that clasp the stem and are deeply heart-shaped. Its leaves are 1 to 8 centimeters long, typically 2 to 3-pinnately lobed with linear to oblong segments, with lower leaves forming a basal rosette. The round to widely obovate fruit is 3 to 4.5 millimeters wide, featuring a small winged tip and smooth valves.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 22 sympatric species; key features are perfoliate upper leaves, glaucous appearance, pale yellow petals
Habitat and range
Habitat: Roadsides, fields, pastures, meadows, woodland, sagebrush flats
Elevation: < 2450 m
California counties: Modoc, Ventura, Inyo, Lassen, Los Angeles, Mono, Monterey, Placer, San Bernardino, San Luis Obispo, Shasta, Siskiyou, San Joaquin, Kern, San Mateo, Plumas, Napa, Butte, Tuolumne, Marin, Santa Barbara, Colusa, Solano, Nevada, Orange, San Diego, Alpine, San Francisco, Fresno, Glenn, Lake, Sonoma, Santa Clara, San Benito, Trinity, Humboldt, Sierra, El Dorado
Outside California: widespread North America, native to Eurasia, northern Africa
Bloom period
Lepidium perfoliatum 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 perfoliatum native to California?
No. Lepidium perfoliatum is not native to California (recorded as not native).
When does Lepidium perfoliatum bloom?
Lepidium perfoliatum blooms Mar-Jun.
Where in California does Lepidium perfoliatum grow?
Lepidium perfoliatum occurs in Modoc, Ventura, Inyo, Lassen, Los Angeles, Mono, Monterey, Placer and other counties, at elevations of < 2450 m.
What plant family does Lepidium perfoliatum belong to?
Lepidium perfoliatum is in the Brassicaceae family, genus Lepidium.
What habitat does Lepidium perfoliatum grow in?
Lepidium perfoliatum grows in Roadsides, fields, pastures, meadows, woodland, sagebrush flats.
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.