New Zealand Plant Conservation Network
  • Member login
  • Join
Facebook
  • Home
  • Flora
    • Flora species
    • Tag names
    • Vascular
    • Non Vascular
    • Plant identification
    • Fungi
    • Make your own book
    • Quiz
  • Threats
    • Exotic Plants (Weeds)
    • Pest Animals
    • Other threats
  • Ecosystems
    • Plant communities
    • Ecosystem services
    • Novel ecosystems
  • Publications
    • Documents
    • Newsletter
    • Plant lists
    • Botanical Society journals
    • NZPCN publications
  • Conservation
    • Seedbank
    • Training
    • Restoration
    • Monitoring
    • Habitat protection
    • Funding
    • Botanic gardens
    • Botanic Societies
  • NZPCN
    • News
    • Trilepidea newsletter
    • Events
    • David Given Scholarship
    • Council members
    • Awards
    • Shop
    • Donate
    • Favourite Plant
    • Why join NZPCN?
    • Join
  • Help
    • FAQ
    • Query
    • Glossary
  • Contact us

Search flora

You are here:
  1. Home
  2. Flora
  3. Flora species
  4. Lepidium sisymbrioides

Lepidium sisymbrioides

Gard Road Waitaki Valley.<br>Photographer: John Barkla, Licence: <a target='_blank' href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0'>CC BY</a>. <a class='member-message' href='/nzpcn/why-join-nzpcn/' target='_blank'>Members can view a larger version of this image.</a>
On edge of stony terrace.<br>Photographer: John Barkla, Licence: <a target='_blank' href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0'>CC BY-NC</a>. <a class='member-message' href='/nzpcn/why-join-nzpcn/' target='_blank'>Members can view a larger version of this image.</a>
Nevis Bluff. Mar 1995.<br>Photographer: David A. Norton, Licence: <a target='_blank' href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0'>CC BY-NC</a>.
Flowering plant.<br>Photographer: John Barkla, Licence: <a target='_blank' href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0'>CC BY</a>.
Flowering plant.<br>Photographer: John Barkla, Licence: <a target='_blank' href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0'>CC BY</a>.
Gard Road Waitaki Valley.<br>Photographer: John Barkla, Licence: <a target='_blank' href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0'>CC BY</a>. <a class='member-message' href='/nzpcn/why-join-nzpcn/' target='_blank'>Members can view a larger version of this image.</a>
Gard Road Waitaki Valley.<br>Photographer: John Barkla, Licence: <a target='_blank' href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0'>CC BY</a>. <a class='member-message' href='/nzpcn/why-join-nzpcn/' target='_blank'>Members can view a larger version of this image.</a>
Slapjack Creek, Kawerau Gorge.<br>Photographer: John Barkla, Licence: <a target='_blank' href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0'>CC BY</a>. <a class='member-message' href='/nzpcn/why-join-nzpcn/' target='_blank'>Members can view a larger version of this image.</a>
Lepidium sisymbrioides.<br>Photographer: John Barkla, Licence: <a target='_blank' href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0'>CC BY</a>. <a class='member-message' href='/nzpcn/why-join-nzpcn/' target='_blank'>Members can view a larger version of this image.</a>
Photographer: John Barkla, Licence: <a target='_blank' href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0'>CC BY</a>. <a class='member-message' href='/nzpcn/why-join-nzpcn/' target='_blank'>Members can view a larger version of this image.</a>
Download PDF Comment on factsheet

NZPCN members can select up to 20 plant species and automatically create a full colour, fully illustrated A4 book describing them (in PDF format).

  • Find out more...
  • Join NZPCN...
Find in plant lists
iNaturalist NZ View observations Biota of NZ Click here to view NZ Flora Click here to view Te Papa View specimens Herbarium View AVH specimens Donate Support NZPCN

Common names

Kawarau cress

Biostatus

Native – Endemic taxon

Category

Vascular

Structural class

Herbs - Dicotyledons other than Composites

Flower colours

Red/Pink, White

Detailed description

Perennial dioecious herb, with up to 15 compact, leafy rosettes. Rootstock deep rooted, up to 20 mm diam. near crown; stems spreading to erect, up to 25 mm long and 6.0 mm wide. Basal and lower stem leaves persistent, pinnatifid, pinnate, to bipinnatifid, narrow-oblong to oblong, up to 120–(190) mm long, green or green-brown, central part of lamina 1.0–3.4 mm wide; pinnae in 6–25 pairs, linear to lanceolate, usually recurved, with 1–6 secondary pinnae, terminal pinnae 7.8–30.0 × 0.9–2.9 mm, lateral pinnae 8.0–28.9 × 0.8–2.7 mm. Middle stem leaves similar, often becoming shallowly pinnatifid, serrate, or entire. Cauline leaves 8.3–25.6 × 1.6–6.2 mm, with up to 8 narrow or small lobes, or entire. Inflorescences terminal, 2–40 cm long, 1.0–5.6 mm diameter at base, usually ascending or erect, sometimes spreading, with up to 12 lateral branches, glabrous to sparsely hairy; pedicels 2.7– 6.4 mm long, 0.25–0.35 mm wide, slightly recurved, adaxial surface glabrous to moderately hairy, abaxial surface glabrous. Flowers up to 4 mm wide. Sepals 0.7–1.0 × 0.6–1.6 mm, green to maroon, glabrous to sparsely hairy, sometimes moderately hairy, margins scarious, apex obtuse. Petals present or absent, when present spreading and clawed, white, limb obovate, apex obtuse to emarginate; males: 1.5–2.2 mm long; females 1.2–1.5 mm long. Female flowers: ovary 1.0–2.7 × 0.8–1.9 mm, ovate, orbicular, to rhomboid, glabrous to sparsely hairy, sometimes moderately hairy; style 0.1–1.1 mm long; stigma 0.2–0.4 mm wide; 4–7 staminodes, 0.6–1.4 mm long. Male flowers: 4–6 stamens, 1.6–3.0 mm long, white; anthers 0.3–0.4 mm long, white or maroon; ovary rudimentary, 0.2–0.9 × 0.3–0.9 mm. Nectaries 0.2–0.6 mm long, oblong, green to green-red. Siliques 3.5–5.0 × 1.9–4.6 mm, usually ovate to rhomboid, sometimes orbicular, suture usually maroon, apex emarginate to retuse, style base often persistent. Seed usually obovate, rarely obovate-oblong, straighter along one margin, compressed but with broad rounded margins, 1.5–2.5 mm long, not winged; both surfaces with a distinct groove from hilum at base towards apex, and the seed folded around it; apex broad and rounded; base cuneate or slightly rounded. Testa dull, orange or orange-brown to dark henna, with a fine reticulum of very thick walled cells.

Similar taxa

Distinguished from Lepidium solandri by longer, narrower cauline leaves, longer terminal and primary pinnae with more frequent secondary lobing; less hairy sepals and ovaries; narrower ovaries; shorter stamen filaments; and ecology.

Distribution

Endemic. New Zealand: South Island (North and Central Otago. Known in north Otago from south side of upper Waitaki, and from Central Otago near Falls Dam in upper Manuherika Gorge and from the Kawarau Gorge near Cromwell.

Habitat

Schist and limestone outcrops and cliff faces. Also on sparsely vegetated clay pan and salt licks overlying limestone talus and semi-saline soils.

Current conservation status

The conservation status of all known New Zealand vascular plant taxa at the rank of species and below were reassessed in 2022-2023 using the New Zealand Threat Classification System (NZTCS) – more information about this can be found on the NZTCS website. This report includes replaces all previous NZTCS lists for vascular plants. Previous assessments can be found here.

  • Conservation status of vascular plants in Aotearoa New Zealand, 2023. 2024. Peter J. de Lange, Jane Gosden, Shannel P. Courtney, Alexander J. Fergus, John W. Barkla, Sarah M. Beadel, Paul D. Champion, Rowan Hindmarsh-Walls, Troy Makan and Pascale Michel Department of Conservation. Source: NZTCS and licensed by DOC for reuse under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence.

2023 | Threatened – Nationally Critical | Qualifiers: DPS

Jump to previous conservation statuses

Threats

Fewer than 800 plants are known in the wild. Few sites on protected land. At all sites threatened by weed competition, animal browsing, and for most sites changes in land-use management.

Detailed taxonomy

Family

Brassicaceae

Authority

Lepidium sisymbrioides Hook.f.

Synonyms

Lepidium sisymbrioides Hook.f. subsp. sisymbrioides, Lepidium kawarau Petrie. Lepidium sisymbrioides subsp. ovatum Thell., L. kawarau var. dubium Kirk

Taxonomic notes

One of only two dioecious Lepidiuim taxa in the world.

Endemic taxon

Yes

Endemic genus

No

Endemic family

No

Ecology

Fruiting

December–March

Life cycle and dispersal

Mucilaginous seeds are dispersed by attachment and possibly wind and water (Thorsen et al., 2009).

Propagation technique

Easily grown from fresh seed. Dislikes excessive moisture and humidity.

Other information

Etymology

lepidium: Scale-shaped (pods)

NVS code

The National Vegetation Survey (NVS) Databank is a physical archive and electronic databank containing records of over 94,000 vegetation survey plots - including data from over 19,000 permanent plots. NVS maintains a standard set of species code abbreviations that correspond to standard scientific plant names from the Ngä Tipu o Aotearoa - New Zealand Plants database.

LEPSIS

Chromosome number

2n = 56

Previous conservation statuses

The conservation status of all known New Zealand vascular plant taxa at the rank of species and below were reassessed in 2022-2023 using the New Zealand Threat Classification System (NZTCS) – more information about this can be found on the NZTCS website. This report includes replaces all previous NZTCS lists for vascular plants. Previous assessments can be found here.

  • Conservation status of vascular plants in Aotearoa New Zealand, 2023. 2024. Peter J. de Lange, Jane Gosden, Shannel P. Courtney, Alexander J. Fergus, John W. Barkla, Sarah M. Beadel, Paul D. Champion, Rowan Hindmarsh-Walls, Troy Makan and Pascale Michel Department of Conservation. Source: NZTCS and licensed by DOC for reuse under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence.

2017 | Threatened – Nationally Critical | Qualifiers: DP

2012 | Threatened – Nationally Endangered | Qualifiers: DP

2009 | Threatened – Nationally Endangered | Qualifiers: DP, Sp

2004 | Threatened – Nationally Endangered

Jump to current conservation status

Regional conservation statuses

Otago: 2024 | Threatened – Regionally Critical | Qualifiers: NR, NStr, PF, RF, RR, TL

The regional threat classification system leverages off the national assessments in the NZTCS, providing information relevant for the regional context. Otago conservation status information is sourced from the “Regional conservation status of indigenous vascular plants in Otago” Jarvie S et al. (2024) report.

Referencing and citations

References and further reading

Allen RB. 2000. Inland Lepidium recovery plan 2000–2010. Threatened Species Recovery Plan 32. Department of Conservation, Wellington, NZ. 25 p.

Heenan PB, Mitchell AD, McLenachan PA, Lockhart PJ, de Lange PJ. 2007. Natural variation and conservation of Lepidium sisymbrioides Hook.f. and L. solandri Kirk (Brassicaceae) in South Island, New Zealand, based on morphological and DNA sequence data. New Zealand Journal of Botany 45(1): 237–264. https://doi.org/10.1080/00288250709509712.

Thorsen MJ, Dickinson KJM, Seddon PJ. 2009. Seed dispersal systems in the New Zealand flora. Perspectives in Plant Ecology, Evolution and Systematics 11: 285–309. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ppees.2009.06.001.

Attribution

Description from Heenan et al. (2007).

NZPCN Fact Sheet citation

Please cite as: de Lange, P.J. (Year at time of access): Lepidium sisymbrioides Fact Sheet (content continuously updated). New Zealand Plant Conservation Network. https://www.nzpcn.org.nz/flora/species/lepidium-sisymbrioides/ (Date website was queried)

▲ Back to top
  • Home
  • Flora
  • Threats
  • Ecosystems
  • Publications
  • Conservation
  • NZPCN
  • Help
  • Contact us
  • Facebook

© 2025 New Zealand Plant Conservation Network • Website by RS

Coastlands Plant Nursery Wildlands

Website sponsor

  • Home
  • Flora
    • Flora species
    • Tag names
    • Vascular
      • Ferns
        • King fern
        • True ferns
        • Adder's tongue ferns
        • Fork ferns and whisk ferns
        • Horsetails
      • Conifers
        • Celery pines
        • Kauri
        • Podocarps
          • Podocarpus
          • Dacrydium
          • Prumnopitys
          • Dacrycarpus
          • Halocarpus
          • Lepidothamnus
          • Manoao
        • Cypress
      • Flowering plants
        • Parasites
          • Leafy mistletoes
          • Pygmy mistletoes
            • Korthalsella flowers
            • Korthalsella hosts
            • Dispersal of Korthalsella
            • Associates of Korthalsella
          • Root parasites
          • Saprophytes
        • Epiphytes
          • NZ
            • Typical
            • Occasional
            • Hemi-epiphytes
            • Ephemeral
            • NZ list
        • Monocots
          • Orchids
            • Structure
          • Grasses
        • Dicots
          • Hebes
          • Kowhai
          • Coprosma
          • Beech
          • Rata
        • Carnivorous
        • Deciduous plants
        • Aquatic plants
      • Poisonous natives
      • Threatened plant lists
      • What's a vascular plant?
      • Club mosses
    • Non Vascular
      • Bryophytes
        • Liverworts
        • Mosses
        • Hornworts
      • Algae
        • Seaweeds
      • Lichens
    • Plant identification
      • Written descriptions
      • Experts
      • Plant keys
        • Key to parasitic plant genera
      • Collecting plants
        • Should I collect
        • Choosing a specimen
        • Field notes
        • Fresh plant material
        • Pressing and drying
        • Mounting specimens
        • Labelling specimens
    • Fungi
    • Make your own book
    • Quiz
  • Threats
    • Exotic Plants (Weeds)
      • Unwanted organisms
      • DOC weeds
      • Plant me instead
      • Pest Plant Accord
    • Pest Animals
      • Mammals
        • Mustelids
        • Rodents
        • Ungulates
        • Possums
      • Fish
      • Insects
    • Other threats
      • Natural events
        • Insects
      • Human induced
        • Habitat loss
        • Collection
        • Climate change
  • Ecosystems
    • Plant communities
      • Dunes
        • Volcanic
        • Coastal
          • Threats
          • Common species
          • Research on dunes
          • Pingao research
          • What you can do
      • Wetlands
        • Estuaries
          • Common estuarine species
          • Research on estuaries
        • Ephemeral
        • Restiad peat bogs
      • Forests
        • Kauri-podocarp-broadleaved
        • Podocarp broadleaved
        • Beech
      • Scrub/shrublands
        • Geothermal
          • Distribution of geothermal vegetation
          • Geothermal plants
          • Geothermal vegetation types
          • Threats to geothermal vegetation
        • Frost flat/hollow
        • Manuka fens
        • Gumlands
      • Grasslands
        • Tussock grasslands
      • Bare ground
        • Braided rivers
        • Alpine
        • Cliff
        • Scree and boulderfields
        • Shingle beaches
      • Herbfields
        • Saltpan
    • Ecosystem services
    • Novel ecosystems
  • Publications
    • Documents
    • Newsletter
    • Plant lists
      • Plant lists by political region/district
      • Plant lists by ecological region/district
      • Search tabulated plant lists
      • National plant lists
      • How to prepare a plant list
    • Botanical Society journals
    • NZPCN publications
  • Conservation
    • Seedbank
      • Project 1 - Pohutukawa, Rata and Myrtaceae
      • Project 2 - Alpine flora and the Forget-Me-Nots
      • Project 3 - Kowhai and its relatives
      • Project 4 - Podocarps and trees of the forest
    • Training
      • Module 1: Plant life
      • Module 2: Covenants
      • Module 3: Propagation
      • Module 4: Wetlands
      • Pilot course 2006
    • Restoration
      • Gardening
        • Being weed wise
        • Garden plants
          • Trees and shrubs
          • Broad-leaved herbs
          • Grass-like herbs
          • Climbers
          • Ferns
        • Attracting wildlife
        • Planting for lizards
          • Rules
      • Species recovery
        • Plant translocations
      • Ecological restoration
        • Case studies
          • Tavora Reserve
          • Waiwhakareke
      • Revegetation
      • Eco-sourcing
      • Find a restoration group
    • Monitoring
      • Number count
        • Number count method
        • Pros and cons of number counts
        • Data analysis and interpretation
      • Presence/absence surveys
        • Presence/absence survey methods
        • Pros and cons of presence/absence surveys
        • Data analysis and interpretation
      • Mapping spatial extent
        • Spatial extent mapping methods
        • Pros and cons of spatial extent mapping
        • Data analysis and interpretation
      • Photo points
        • Photo point guidelines
    • Habitat protection
      • Legal protection
        • Nga Whenua Rahui
        • QEII covenants
        • DOC Covenants
      • Animal pest control
      • Weed control
      • Fencing
    • Funding
    • Botanic gardens
    • Botanic Societies
  • NZPCN
    • News
    • Trilepidea newsletter
    • Events
      • 2024 AGM
      • Conference 2024
        • 2024 conference overview
        • Conference 2024 workshops
        • Conference 2024 Field Trips
        • 2024 conference sponsors
        • Conference 2024 accommodation options
        • 2024 Conference Programme
      • Conference 2022
        • Conference programme summary
        • 2022 conference workshops
        • 2022 conference field trips
        • Code of conduct
        • COVID-19 information
        • 2022 conference sponsors
        • Abstract and poster submission
        • 2022 Conference venue and accommodation
        • Conference Workshop: Restoration Pathways
        • 2022 conference postponement
      • Conference 2019
      • Conference 2017
      • Conference 2015
        • Speakers
        • Workshops
        • Field trips
        • Charity auction
      • Conference 2013
        • Speakers
        • Timetable
      • 2023 Restoration Pathways Workshop
      • 2023 AGM
    • David Given Scholarship
      • David Given Scholarship Recipients
    • Council members
      • NZPCN council member profiles
      • Council 2023
      • Council 2022
      • Council 2021
      • Council 2020
      • Council 2019
      • Council 2018
      • Council 2017
      • Council 2016
      • Council 2015
      • Council 2014
      • Council 2013
      • Council 2012
      • Council 2011
      • Council 2010
      • Council 2009
      • Council 2008
      • Council 2007
      • Council 2006
      • Council 2005
      • Council 2004
      • Council 2003
    • Awards
      • NZPCN Awards
        • 2024 Plant Conservation Awards
        • 2022
        • 2019
        • 2018
        • 2017
        • 2016
        • 2015
        • 2014
        • 2013
        • 2012
        • 2011
        • 2010
        • 2009
        • 2008
        • 2007
        • 2006
        • 2005
    • Shop
    • Donate
    • Favourite Plant
    • Why join NZPCN?
    • Join
  • Help
    • FAQ
      • Joining the Network
      • The Network
      • Network website
      • New Zealand plants
      • The law
      • Your discoveries
    • Query
    • Glossary
  • Contact us
  • Facebook