Ephemeral or annual herb to 30 cm high, mature plants often purplish; stems erect, covered with white, inflated, bladder-like hairs. Basal leaves linear-cuneate, to 10 cm long, petiolate, toothed to bipinnately lobed; stem leaves becoming smaller, finally sessile, auriculate and broadly toothed. Inflorescence an elongating raceme. Sepals 1 mm long or less; petals absent; stamens 4; stigma sessile. Fruit ellipsoid with deep apical notch, 4–6 mm long, 3–5 mm wide, with scattered slender hairs, wings broad, apically obtuse, forming deep narrow notch; pedicels 2–3 mm long, papillose on upper surface. Flowers mostly spring.
MuM, Wim, VRiv, MSB, RobP, MuF, Gold. Also WA, SA, Qld, NSW. Generally on heavy soils near lakes, rivers and streams in semi-arid north-west Victoria.
The purplish coloration of stems, pedicels and fruits in mature specimens is distinctive. See also notes under Lepidium psuedopapillosum.
Source:
Entwisle, T.J. (1996). Brassicaceae. In: Walsh, N.G.; Entwisle, T.J., Flora of Victoria Vol. 3, Dicotyledons Winteraceae to Myrtaceae, pp. 399–459. Inkata Press, Melbourne.
