(Mountain Pepperweed)
Lepidium montanum, Divide Rd., Uncompahgre Plateau, Mesa Co. 4445
Lepidium montanum, Divide Rd., Uncompahgre Plateau, Mesa Co. 4444
Lepidium montanum, Divide Rd., Uncompahgre Plateau, Mesa Co. 4456
Lepidium montanum, Divide Rd., Uncompahgre Plateau, Mesa Co. 4442
Lepidium montanum, Divide Rd., Uncompahgre Plateau, Mesa Co. 4449
Lepidium montanum, Divide Rd., Uncompahgre Plateau, Mesa Co. 4448
| Scientific Name | Lepidium montanum | USDA PLANTS Symbol | LEMO2 |
| Common Name | Mountain Pepperweed | ITIS Taxonomic Serial No. | 503381 |
| Family | Brassicaceae (Mustard) | SEINet Reference |
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| Description | Life zones and habitat: Semi-desert, foothills and montane (4500 to 9800 ft.); various soils in woodlands, brushlands, hillsides, washes etc. Plant: Annual, biennial, or perennial, up to 28 inches tall; usually several branched, erect to ascending stems, smooth or with pubescent hairs. Leaves: Basal leaves often forming rosettes; lower leaves once or twice pinnatifid, up to about 3 inches long, lobe margins entire or dentate; upper stem leaves similar or undivided and linear. Inflorescence: Many small white flowers in congested terminal racemes, that become very elongated in fruit; 4 sepals and 4 spatulate petals; flowers 1/3-inch or less across. Bloom Period: May to September. Fruit: Oval to nearly round seed pods less than 0.2 inches long and nearly as wide with a small notch at the tip and a style that sticks out of the notch. References: "Flora of Colorado" by Jennifer Ackerfield, SW Colorado Wildflowers, SEINet and American Southwest. Note: Highly variable species with potentially many variants but without consensus among the experts. | BONAP Distribution Map Map Color Key |
Colorado Status: Native |
© Tom Lebsack 2024
Banner photo: Castilleja rhexifolia and a brewing storm over the San Juan Mountains