Lepidium hyssopifolium Desv.

Perennial. Stems erect, densely puberulent but becoming glabrous with age, to 50 cm tall, branching above. Lvs hairy; marginal hairs coarser than surface hairs but triangular or 2-lobed denticles 0. Basal and lower stem lvs falling before fruiting, linear-lanceolate, pinnatisect to serrate, 10–40 × 1–2.5 mm. Upper stem lvs linear-oblong, entire or 3-fid at apex, abruptly narrowed or auriculate at base, 8–12–(20) × 0.8–1.5–(2) mm. Racemes 4–8–(12) cm long; rachis densely puberulent; pedicels densely puberulent, erecto-patent, (2.5)–3–4 mm long at fruiting. Sepals hairy, green or purple, 0.5–0.8 × 0.2–0.3 mm. Petals white, minute. Stamens 2. Silicles narrow-ovate to rhomboid, 2.7–3 × 1.8–2–(2.2) mm; stigma almost sessile, included in shallow notch; valves usually purple, glabrous or sometimes hairy when young. Seed oblong, brown, not winged, c. 1.4 mm long.

[From: Webb et al. (1988) Flora of New Zealand. Volume 4.]

Flowering: (Nov.)–Jan.–Mar.; Fruiting: (Nov.)–Jan.–Mar.