About Lepidium oblongum Small
Lepidium oblongum Small is an annual herb that produces a small, branching stem that grows up to 20 to 30 centimeters (8 to 12 inches) long, and the entire stem is coated in hairs. Its well-spaced leaves are divided into narrow lobes. The plant produces its flowers in an inflorescence called a raceme; the flowers are very tiny, and most are made up only of sepals, though a vestigial petal may occasionally be present. After flowering, the plant forms notched capsules as fruit that measure 2 to 3 millimeters long. Its blooming period runs from March through August. There are two recognized varieties of Lepidium oblongum; one of these, var. insulare, has only been recorded from coastal California and Baja California. This species grows in habitats including pastures, prairies, floodplains, roadsides, and alluvial terraces.
