mountain pepperplant

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• mountain pepperplant
• mountain pepperwort

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Lepidium montanum subsp. heterophyllum
• Lepidium montanum f. cinereum
• Lepidium montanum var. todiltoense
• Lepidium alyssoides var. stenocarpum
• Lepidium alyssoides var. jonesii
• Lepidium scopulorum f. nanum
• Lepidium jonesii
• Lepidium scopulorum f. canescens
• Lepidium montanum f. wyomingense
• Lepidium montanum var. stellae
• Lepidium montanum subsp. cinereum
• Lepidium montanum var. cinereum
• Lepidium montanum subsp. canescens
• Lepidium montanum var. claronensis
• Lepidium montanum subsp. jonesii
• Lepidium montanum var. coloradense
• Lepidium montanum var. neeseae
• Lepidium montanum subsp. glabrum
• Lepidium montanum var. nevadense
• Lepidium montanum var. alpinum
• Lepidium corymbosum
• Lepidium crandallii
• Lepidium montanum var. jonesii
• Lepidium montanum var. heterophyllum
• Lepidium scopulorum
• Lepidium montanum var. glabrum
• Lepidium philonitrum
• Lepidium montanum var. canescens
• Lepidium tenellum
• Lepidium montanum subsp. tenellum
• Lepidium utahense
• Lepidium montanum subsp. alpinum
• Lepidium utaviense
• Lepidium montanum var. soliarborense
• Lepidium albiflorum
• Lepidium montanum var. wyomingense
• Lepidium brachybotryum
• Lepidium montanum var. diffusum
• Lepidium montanum var. tenellum
• Lepidium montanum var. stenocarpum
• Lepidium integrifolium var. heterophyllum
• Lepidium montanum var. owyheense

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta. Within the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae, it is categorized under the order Brassicales and the family Brassicaceae. Finally, it is classified under the genus Lepidium.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant is primarily found within the specific regions of the Northwestern United States. Its natural habitat extends across several different states in this part of the country. Specifically, it can be located in the mountainous terrain of Colorado and Idaho. Additionally, the species is distributed throughout Montana and Oregon. Finally, its geographical range includes the state of Wyoming.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Life history

The life history of Lepidium montanum is characterized by its status as a perennial herb, allowing the plant to persist through multiple growing seasons. As a perennial, it maintains a long-term presence in its habitat, often establishing a sturdy root system that supports regrowth after periods of dormancy. This life cycle enables the plant to survive varying environmental conditions and accumulate resources over several years, contributing to its ability to flower and produce seeds multiple times throughout its lifespan.

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Lepidium montanum is characterized by its growth form as a forb, exhibiting a non-woody structure throughout its development. The plant typically reaches a mean height of approximately 0.24 m, maintaining a self-supporting stature rather than acting as an obligatory or facultative climber.

Climber :

self-supporting

Growth form :

forb

Plant height mean:

0.24 m

Woodiness :

non-woody

Reproduction

Reproduction in Lepidium montanum is characterized by the production of small, specialized seeds that facilitate its dispersal and survival. The seed mass of this species is notably minute, exhibiting a mean value of approximately 0.000358933333333333 g. Within the population, individual seed weights show slight variations, with the smallest recorded seed mass measuring 0.00035 g and the largest reaching a maximum of 0.0005 g. These precise measurements reflect the plant's investment in producing a high volume of lightweight reproductive units.

Seed mass max:

5e-04 g

Seed mass mean:

0.000358933333333333 g

Seed mass min:

0.00035 g

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Chemicals

Lepidium montanum has 2 reported phytochemicals identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Benzyl glucosinolate, Glucobrassicin.

Benzyl glucosinolate

1. Fitoterapia

Glucobrassicin

1. Fitoterapia