| Author | L. | |
| Distribution | Throughout the state, and certainly present in all counties.
This is a very widespread species across North America.
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| Abundance | Common to abundant statewide. | |
| Habitat | This species is among the most ruderal of all native species, found commonly in waste places, pastures, roadsides, fields, and other clearings and man-made openings. | |
| Phenology | Blooms from April to June, and sporadically later; fruits soon after flowering. | |
| Identification | This is an erect herb with numerous branches from upper axils, growing to about 9-12 inches tall. There are basal rosette leaves, each oblanceolate in overall shape, usually pinnately divided, with the terminal leaflet the largest; these leaves reach 2-3 inches long. The scattered stem leaves are much smaller and significant, being dissected toward the ground but smaller and less dissected upward. The plant almost always has numerous racemes on upper branches, each being 1-2 inches long and thumb-shaped, with many small white flowers and stalks. Usually you can and will find some fruit (silicle) along the lower part of the flower cluster; each is disk-shaped, rounded but flat in cross-section, about 1/5-inch across. These several to many clusters are very distinct, especially as each lateral one is ascending, and in fruit the top of the plant can look a bit rounded like a tiny bush. Check references to rule out non-native species, as there are numerous Lepidium species in NC, with this being the only native one. Of course, everyone should be very familiar with this species, but likely not at all familiar with the others that aren't native. | |
| Taxonomic Comments | Not surprisingly, as this is a wide-ranging species, there are several varieties. The nominate one is the only variety found in the state.
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| Other Common Name(s) | Virginia Pepperweed, Poor-man's-pepper, Least Pepperwort | |
| State Rank | S5 | |
| Global Rank | G5 | |
| State Status | | |
| US Status | | |
| USACE-agcp | UPL link |
| USACE-emp | FACU link |
