S'/'S lEPIDIUM. [CLASS XV. ORDER J, 



Perennial ; flowering in July. 



This is sometimes called Poor Man's Pepper, on account of the hot 

 acrid flavour which it possesses. Its roots were once used as horse 

 radish, and its leaves are occasionally used as a condiment. An 

 infusion of its leaves is said by Withering to produce vomiting. 



2. L. Draba, Linn. (Fig. lOlL) Whitloio Pepper-rcort. Leaves 

 broadly oblong lanceolate, entire or toothed, the radical ones tapering 

 into a footstalk, the upper sessile, arrow-shaped at the base ; siliqua 

 subcordate, two lobed, crowned by a style as long as the valves. 



English Botany, t. 2683. — Hooker, British Flora, ed. 4. vol. i, p. 

 248. — Lindley, Synopsis, Suppl. p. 319. 



Itoot tapering. Stem erect, solitary, about a foot high, slender, 

 downy, branched at the top in a corymbose manner. Leaves pale 

 green, downy, especially beneath, the radical ones ovate lanceolate, 

 tapering into a broadish footstalk, the upper ones sessile, embracing the 

 stem, oblong lanceolate, cordate at the base, and auriculated in an 

 arrow-shaped manner, ribs stout, pale, the margins more or less 

 toothed unequally. Inflorescence terminal sub-corymbose racemes of 

 numerous white flowers, at first crowded. Pedicles slender, downy, 

 nearly an inch long. Calyx of four equal ovate concave pieces, with 

 a narrow white membranous margin. Petals obovate, white, the claws 

 long, narrow. Stamens with simple filaments and yellow ovate two 

 celled anthers. Fruit a sub-cordate silicula, somewhat two lobed^,. 

 turgid, crowned by the persistent style, as long as the valve, two celled, 

 each cell with a single pendulous brown seed, the cotyledons oblong, 

 obtuse, thick. 



Habitat. — Fields and hedges ; rare. Swansea, St. Peter's and 

 Ramsgate, Isle of Thanet, left bank of the Dee below Chester. 



Perennial ; flowering in June. 



This is a doubtful native plant, but is common on the Continent in 

 corn and other cultivated fields, and it is probable that from thence it 

 has been introduced, and is now become naturalized. 



3. L. rudera'le, Linn. (Fig. 1012.) Narroiv-leaved Pepperwort. 

 Lower leaves petiolated, pinnated, the upper sessile, linear, entire; 

 flowers with two stamens, and without petals; siliqua roundish ovate, 

 notched, spreading, shorter than the pedicles. 



English Botany, t. 1595. — English Flora, vol. iii. p. 165. — Hooker, 

 British Flora, ed. 4. vol. i. p. 248. — Lindley, Synopsis, p. 31. 



Boot tapering, slender, branched. Stem erect, from six to twelve 

 inches high, round, slender, much branched, smooth and leafy. 

 Leaves a glaucous green, smooth, the lower ones petiolated, pinnated, 

 with entire or sometimes toothed segments, the upper ones linear, 

 obtuse, entire, sessile. Inflorescence slender terminal and lateral 

 racemes, becoming much elongated. Floivers very small, crowded al 

 the ends of the branches. Calyx of four ovate concave pieces, with a 



