Stems ascending or decumbent, to 80 cm long. Lower leaves to 10 cm long, lateral lobes of usually 2–4 pairs or margins broadly toothed to entire. Inflorescence elongating in fruit. Sepals 4–6 mm long; petals 8–14 mm long, white to purple. Fruit spreading, 12–27 mm long (including beak), 4–8 mm wide, breaking between the upper and lower segments; lower segment more or less obconical, expanding into 2 lateral projections; upper segment compressed, conical-lanceolate, somewhat 4-angled, unilocular. Flowers spring–autumn.
GleP, Brid, VVP, GipP, OtP, WaP, EGL, WPro, OtR, Strz. Also naturalised WA, SA, Qld, NSW, Tas. Native to northern Africa, Europe, Asia-temperate. Common on sandy coasts.
The primary basis for subspecies recognition, the degree of leaf incision and fruit constriction, can be quite variable amongst Victorian material but all collections are generally referred to Cakile maritima subsp. maritima.
