Classification
Class
Magnoliopsida Brongn.
Order
Brassicales Bromhead
Family
Cruciferae
Genus
Lepidium L.
 Nomenclature
Scientific Name:
Lepidium tenuicaule Kirk, Trans. New Zealand Inst. 14: 381 (1882)
Synonymy:
  • = Lepidium australe Kirk, Trans. New Zealand Inst. 14: 381 (1882)
  • ≡ Lepidium tenuicaule var. australe (Kirk) Kirk, Stud. Fl. New Zealand 38 (1899)
  • = Lepidium tenuicaule var. minor Cheeseman, Trans. & Proc. New Zealand Inst. 43: 175 (1910 [1911])
Vernacular Name(s):
Shore cress
 Description

Perennial. Stems prostrate to ascending, glabrous, (2)–8–15–(30) cm long. Lvs glabrous or with a few hairs on midrib and margins. Basal lvs persistent, pinnate, 2–10 × 0.5–1.5 cm. Pinnae in (5)–7–15 pairs, acutely toothed. Stem lvs toothed at apex, becoming entire, narrow-spathulate to linear-oblanceolate, cuneate at base, long-petiolate, 5–20 × 2–5 mm. Racemes 5–10 cm long at fruiting; rachis and pedicels glabrous or sparsely hairy; pedicels distant, spreading, 2–4 mm long at fruiting. Sepals sparsely hairy or rarely glabrous, 0.5–1 × 0.3–0.5 mm. Petals usually 0, or white, < sepals. Stamens usually 4. Silicles suborbicular, 1.5–2 × 1.5–1.8 mm; style 0.1 mm long, free from the very narrow wing, = or slightly > the very shallow notch; valves glabrous. Seed ovoid, brown, not winged, c. 1 mm long.

[From: Webb et al. (1988) Flora of New Zealand. Volume 4.]

 Biostatus
Indigenous (Endemic)
 Phenology

Flowering: Nov.–Dec.–(Feb.); Fruiting: Nov.–Dec.–(Feb.)

 Bibliography
Cheeseman, T. F. 1911 ("1910"): New species of plants. Transactions and Proceedings of the New Zealand Institute 43: 175–178.
de Lange, P.J.; Norton, D.A.; Courtney, S.P.; Heenan, P.B.; Barkla, J.W.; Cameron, E.K.; Hitchmough, R.; Townsend, A.J. 2009: Threatened and uncommon plants of New Zealand (2008 revision). New Zealand Journal of Botany 47: 61–96. [Declining]
de Lange, P.J.; Norton, D.A.; Heenan, P.B.; Courtney, S.P.; Molloy, B.P.J.; Ogle, C.C.; Rance, B.D. 2004: Threatened and uncommon plants of New Zealand. New Zealand Journal of Botany 42(1): 45–76.
de Lange, P.J.; Rolfe, J.R.; Barkla J.W.; Courtney, S.P.; Champion, P.D.; Perrie, L.R.; Beadel, S.N.; Ford, K.A.; Breitwieser, I.; Schönberger, I.; Hindmarsh-Walls, R.; Heenan, P.B.; Ladley, K. 2018: Conservation status of New Zealand indigenous vascular plants, 2017. New Zealand Threat Classification Series. No. 22. [Declining]
de Lange, P.J.; Rolfe, J.R.; Champion, P.D.; Courtney, S.P.; Heenan, P.B.; Barkla, J.W.; Cameron, E.K.; Norton, D.A.; Hitchmough, R.A. 2013: Conservation status of New Zealand indigenous vascular plants, 2012. New Zealand Threat Classification Series 3. Department of Conservation, Wellington. [Declining]
Kirk, T. 1882: A revision of the New Zealand Lepidia, with descriptions of new species. Transactions of the New Zealand Institute 14: 379–382.
Kirk,T. 1899: The Students' Flora of New Zealand and the Outlying Islands. Government Printer, Wellington, N.Z.