garden cress

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• garden cress
• garden cress pepperweed
• garden peppergrass
• garden pepperwort
• Cultivated Cress
• pepperwort
• tongue cress
• town cress
• Cress

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Cardamon sativum
• Lepidium spinescens
• Lepidium sativum var. vulgare
• Lepidium sativum var. triplocrispum
• Lepidium sativum var. australe
• Crucifera nasturtium
• Lepia sativa
• Nasturtium spinescens
• Nasturtium sativum
• Lepidium sativum var. spinescens
• Lepidium sativum var. crispum
• Arabis chinensis
• Nasturtium crispum
• Lepidium sativum subsp. spinescens
• Lepidium sativum var. latifolium
• Thlaspi sativum
• Lepidium sativum var. schimperi
• Thlaspidium sativum
• Lepidium sativum var. silvestre
• Lepidium sativum var. pallidum

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant, known scientifically as Lepidium satiivum, belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta. Within the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae, it is classified under the order Brassicales and the family Brassicaceae. Its specific taxonomic placement concludes within the genus Lepidium.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a wide distribution across several regions of the European continent. In Northern Europe, its presence is documented in both Great Britain and Ireland. Moving toward Middle Europe, the species can be found growing in Austria. It also maintains a significant presence within the borders of Belgium. Finally, its geographical range extends through the regions of Czechia and Slovakia.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Lepidium sativum is characterized by its broad adaptability across diverse topographical gradients, spanning an elevational range from 0 m to a maximum of 2200 m AMSL. This wide altitudinal distribution allows the species to inhabit a variety of environmental conditions, ranging from lowland coastal areas to higher montane regions. While specific primary habitat classifications are often noted with ambiguity, the plant typically thrives in disturbed sites, open fields, and cultivated environments where it can access sufficient sunlight and well-drained soil. Its ability to persist from sea level to significant elevations suggests a resilient physiological capacity to handle varying thermal regimes and atmospheric pressures.

Elevational range max:

2200 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

0 m AMSL

Habitat :

(?)

Life history

The life history of Lepidium sativum is characterized by an annual lifecycle, meaning the plant completes its entire biological development—from germination to seed production and death—within a single growing season. As a therophyte, its life form is defined by a strategy where the plant survives unfavorable environmental periods primarily in the form of seeds, with the vegetative structure dying off completely at the end of the season. This botanical classification as a therophyte ensures that the species can effectively colonize disturbed or seasonal habitats, relying on its rapid reproductive cycle to persist across successive generations.

Life form :

therophyte

Lifecycle :

annual

Morphology

The morphology of Lepidium sativum is characterized by its growth form as a non-woody herb and forb. It is a self-supporting, independent plant that lacks climbing or parasitic tendencies, maintaining an erect shoot orientation. As a terrestrial species, it does not exhibit aquatic, semiaquatic, or epiphytic lifestyles. The plant typically reaches a mean height of approximately 0.3105 m, though its stature can vary significantly, ranging from a minimum height of 0.2 m to a maximum height of 0.9 m.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

herb

Growth form :

forb

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

0.9 m

Plant height mean:

0.3105 m

Plant height min:

0.2 m

Shoot orientation :

erect

Woodiness :

non-woody

Physiology

The physiology of Lepidium sativum is characterized by a C3 photosynthetic pathway and a non-carnivorous nutritional strategy, as the plant does not possess nitrogen-fixing capabilities. Its vegetative structure is defined by a rosette leaf arrangement, where the leaves exhibit a linear form. Morphologically, the leaves are relatively small and narrow, with a mean leaf length of 2.5 cm (ranging from a minimum of 2 cm to a maximum of 3 cm) and a consistent mean width of 0.4 cm (with both minimum and maximum values also recorded at 0.4 cm). This results in a mean leaf size of 5.26 cm². Furthermore, the plant maintains a mean Specific Leaf Area (SLA) of 220 cm²/g, reflecting its internal leaf structure and resource allocation efficiency.

Carnivory :

non-carnivorous

Leaf arrangement :

rosette

Leaf form :

linear

Leaf length max:

3 cm

Leaf length mean:

2.5 cm

Leaf length min:

2 cm

Leaf size mean:

5.26 cm²

Leaf width mean:

0.4 cm

Nitrogen fixer :

no

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Specific Leaf Area (SLA) mean:

220 cm²/g

Reproduction

The reproduction of Lepidium sativum is primarily a sexual process, as asexual reproduction is noted to be absent. The flowering cycle typically begins in April and concludes in July, though the timing can be variable. The plant produces small, white flowers, with individual flower lengths ranging between 0.2 cm and 0.22 cm. These flowers are subject to biotic pollination, specifically utilizing an insect pollination syndrome to facilitate fertilization. Once fertilized, self-fertilization is present within the species. The resulting fruit is classified as a capsule, characterized by a mean length of 0.55 cm (ranging from 0.4 cm to a maximum of 0.6 cm) and a mean width of 0.4 cm (ranging from 0.4 cm to a maximum of 0.5 cm). Within these fruits, the seeds are produced with a mean length of 5 mm. The seed mass is quite minute, with a mean mass of approximately 0.0018457 g, while individual seed weights fluctuate between a minimum of 0.00112 g and a maximum of 0.0026 g. Finally, the dispersal of the plant is characterized by an anthropochorous syndrome, indicating that seed dispersal is facilitated by human activity.

Dispersal syndrome :

anthropochorous

Flower colour :

white

Flower length max:

0.22 cm

Flower length min:

0.2 cm

Flowering time :

Apr

Flowering time :

Jul

Fruit length max:

0.6 cm

Fruit length mean:

0.55 cm

Fruit length min:

0.4 cm

Fruit type :

capsule

Fruit width max:

0.5 cm

Fruit width mean:

0.4 cm

Pollination syndrome :

insect

Pollination syndrome :

biotic

Reproduction asexual :

absent

Seed length mean:

5 mm

Seed mass max:

0.0026 g

Seed mass mean:

0.00184571433333333 g

Seed mass min:

0.00112 g

Self fertilization :

present

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Lepidium sativum has 3 reported plant parts identified across 17 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include seed, fruit, leaf.

Seed

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology
2. Current drug research reviews
3. Phytochemistry
4. Chemistry & biodiversity
5. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)

Fruit

1. Current drug research reviews

Leaf

1. Saudi journal of biological sciences

Chemicals

Lepidium sativum has 62 reported phytochemicals identified across 17 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include CALCIUM, FAT, Flavonoids, Glucotropaeolin, IRON.

CALCIUM

1. Dr. Duke
2. Current drug research reviews

FAT

1. Dr. Duke
2. Current drug research reviews

Flavonoids

1. Current drug research reviews
2. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Glucotropaeolin

1. Dr. Duke
2. Fitoterapia

IRON

1. Dr. Duke
2. Current drug research reviews

4-Hydroxy-3,5-dimethoxycinnamic acid

1. Dr. Duke

Arachidic acid

1. Dr. Duke

Ash

1. Dr. Duke

BENZYL CYANIDE

1. Dr. Duke

BETA-SITOSTEROL

1. Dr. Duke

Activities

Lepidium sativum has 330 reported activities identified across 17 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antioxidant, Antidiabetic, Antimicrobial, Diuretic, Laxative.

Antioxidant

1. Dr. Duke
2. Turkish journal of pharmaceutical sciences
3. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)
4. Food science & nutrition
5. Pharmaceutics

Antidiabetic

1. Dr. Duke
2. Current drug research reviews
3. Turkish journal of pharmaceutical sciences

Antimicrobial

1. Current drug research reviews
2. Turkish journal of pharmaceutical sciences
3. Pharmaceutics

Diuretic

1. Dr. Duke
2. Turkish journal of pharmaceutical sciences
3. Food science & nutrition

Laxative

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of ethnopharmacology
3. Food science & nutrition

Analgesic

1. Dr. Duke
2. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)

Anthelmintic

1. Dr. Duke
2. Biological research

Antianemic

1. Dr. Duke
2. Food science & nutrition

Antiasthmatic

1. Dr. Duke
2. Current drug research reviews

Anticancer

1. Dr. Duke
2. Turkish journal of pharmaceutical sciences

Conditions

Lepidium sativum has 39 reported investigations on conditions identified across 17 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported conditions include antioxidant, anemia, antiasthmatic, antidiabetic, antidiarrheal.

Antioxidant

1. Turkish journal of pharmaceutical sciences
2. Food science & nutrition
3. BioMed research international

Anemia

1. BMC complementary medicine and therapies
2. Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland)

Antiasthmatic

1. Current drug research reviews
2. BioMed research international

Antidiabetic

1. Current drug research reviews
2. Turkish journal of pharmaceutical sciences

Antidiarrheal

1. Current drug research reviews
2. Turkish journal of pharmaceutical sciences

Bone fracture

1. Turkish journal of pharmaceutical sciences
2. Nutrients

Diuretic

1. Turkish journal of pharmaceutical sciences
2. Food science & nutrition

Inflammation

1. Current drug research reviews
2. Phytomedicine : international journal of phytotherapy and phytopharmacology

Bacillus cereus

1. Biopolymers

Covid-19

1. Infection and drug resistance

Preparations

Lepidium sativum has 19 reported preparations identified across 17 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include seeds, 80% methanol and n-hexane extracts, Edible seeds, Lepidium sativum seeds, callus culture.

Seeds

1. Phytochemistry
2. Chemistry & biodiversity
3. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

80% methanol and n-hexane extracts

1. Tropical medicine and health

Edible seeds

1. Journal of agricultural and food chemistry

Lepidium sativum seeds

1. Nutrients

Callus culture

1. Natural product research

Crude extract of lepidium sativum

1. Phytotherapy research : PTR

Crushed seeds

1. Journal of the South African Veterinary Association

Ethanolic extract

1. Journal of food science and technology

Extracts

1. Pharmaceuticals (Basel, Switzerland)

Fractions

1. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)