Lepidium coronopus

{{Short description|Species of flowering plant}} {{Speciesbox | image = Coronopus squamatus inflorescens (09).jpg | genus = Lepidium | species = coronopus | authority = (L.) Al-Shehbaz | synonyms = {{collapsible list|bullets = true |title=Synonyms |Carara coronopus (L.) Medik. |Cochlearia coronopus L. |Cochlearia repens Lam. |Cochlearia tenuifolia Salisb. |Coronopus coadunatus Stokes |Coronopus coronopus (L.) H.Karst. [Invalid] |Coronopus cristatus Clairv. |Coronopus depressus Moench |Coronopus procumbens Gilib. ex Ces., Pass. & Gibelli |Coronopus procumbens Gilib. |Coronopus ruellii All. |Coronopus squamatus (Forssk.) Asch. |Coronopus squamatus subsp. conradi Muschl. |Coronopus squamatus subsp. verrucarius Muschl. |Coronopus verrucarius Muschl. & Thell. |Coronopus verrucarius var. procumbens Muschl. |Coronopus vulgaris Desf. |Crucifera ruellii E.H.L.Krause |Lepidium squamatum Forssk. |Myagrum coronopus (L.) Crantz |Nasturtium verrucarium Garsault [Invalid] |Senebiera coronopus (L.) Cav. |Senebiera coronopus (L.) Poir.}} | synonyms_ref = <ref name="Plantlist"/> }}

'''''Lepidium coronopus''''', ('''swine cress''', '''creeping wart cress''', or '''greater swine cress'''), is a species of flowering plant in the mustard family which is native to parts of Africa, western Asia and Europe, growing in shingle banks, wasteland or cultivated fields.

==Description== thumb|Seed specimens ''Lepidium coronopus'' is a robust herb, grown as an annual,<ref name="efloras">{{cite web |title=FNA Vol. 7 Page 572, 578|url=http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=1&taxon_id=250095047 |website=Flora of North America |publisher=efloras.org |access-date=2 December 2017}}</ref> and rarely as a biennial.<ref name=Dickinson>Richard Dickinson and France Royer {{google books|bU8EDQAAQBAJ|Weeds of North America (2014)|page=215}}</ref> It is a low,<ref name=Readers>{{cite book |year=1981 |title=Reader's Digest Field Guide to the Wild Flowers of Britain |page=51 |publisher=Reader's Digest |isbn=9780276002175}}</ref> to short prostrate plant,<ref name="naturespot">{{cite web|title=Swine-cress - ''Lepidium coronopus''|url=http://www.naturespot.org.uk/species/swine-cress|publisher=naturespot.org.uk|access-date=2 December 2017}}</ref> with often several from base,<ref name=North/> stems that sprawl,<ref name=Harrap>Simon Harrap {{google books|rwRpBAAAQBAJ|Harrap's Wild Flowers (2013)|page=131}}</ref> trail or spread,<ref name=Dickinson/> and very rarely ascending.<ref name=North>Flora of North America Editorial Committee {{google books|I_KRof-0pX4C|Flora of North America: Volume 7: Magnoliophyta: Dilleniidae, Part 2 (1993)|page=578}}</ref> It can reach between {{convert|5|–|12|cm|ftin|abbr=on}} tall,<ref name=Readers/> with the more or less hairless,<ref name=Harrap/> and branched distally,<ref name=North/> stems reaching {{convert|5|–|30|cm|ftin|abbr=on}} long.<ref name=Dickinson/><ref name=Harrap/>

It has two types of leaves, basal and cauline (along the stem),<ref name=North/> the basal leaves are rosulate (form a rosette), with a petiole (leaf stalk) {{convert|2|–|5|cm|ftin|abbr=on}} long.<ref name=North/> They are pinnatisect (having lobes with incisions that extend almost, or up to midrib),<ref name=North/><ref name=Harrap/> the lobes are dark green and strap like.<ref name="naturespot"/><ref name=Dickinson/> The cauline leaves are shortly petiolate,<ref name=North/> or stalkless,<ref name=Dickinson/> they are also pinnatisect,<ref name=North/> or more or less unlobed.<ref name=Harrap/> The leaves are dull blue-green,<ref name=Harrap/> or greyish green.<ref name=Readers/>

Although Swine Cress (''Lepidium coronopus'') is very similar in form to Lesser Swine Cress (''Lepidium didymum'') but the leaves of Lesser Swine cress are edible.<ref name="wildfood">{{cite web|title=Lesser Swine Cress|url=http://www.wildfooduk.com/hedgerow-food-guide/lesser-swine-cress-hedgerow/|publisher=wildfooduk.com|access-date=2 December 2017|archive-date=3 September 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170903000513/http://www.wildfooduk.com/hedgerow-food-guide/lesser-swine-cress-hedgerow/|url-status=dead}}</ref> Other differences between the two plants include; ''l. didymum'' has 2 stamens while ''L. coronopus'' has 6 and the fruits are very different.<ref name=Turkey>{{cite journal |last1=Yüzbaşıoğlu |first1=Sırrı |last2=Keskin |first2=Mustafa |title=A new record for the flora of Turkey: Lepidium didymum L. (Brassicaceae) |journal=Biological Diversity and Conservation |date=January 2013 |volume=6 |issue=3 |pages=46–48 |doi=10.13140/2.1.4460.0003}}</ref>

''Lepidium coronopus'' begins blooming between May and August,<ref name=North/> or between June and September.<ref name=Readers/><ref name="naturespot"/> The small flowers,<ref name=Harrap/> are about {{convert|0.2|–|0.4|cm|ftin|abbr=on}} wide.<ref name="naturespot"/><ref name="wild">{{cite web |title=''Lepidium coronopus'' Swine-cress |url=http://www.ukwildflowers.com/Web_pages/lepidium_coronopus_swine_cress.htm |publisher=ukwildflowers.com |access-date=2 December 2017}}</ref> They are white,<ref name=North/><ref name="naturespot"/><ref name=Readers/> or purplish,<ref name=Dickinson/> growing in clusters opposite a leaf,<ref name=North/><ref name=Readers/><ref name=Harrap/> on short racemes.<ref name=North/><ref name=Dickinson/><ref name="naturespot"/> The rachis is glabrous (hairy).<ref name=North/> The flowers have 4 petals which are obovate to oblong shaped,<ref name=North/> that are longer than the sepals,<ref name=Dickinson/><ref name=Harrap/> which are oblong shaped.<ref name=North/> It has 6 stamens,<ref name=Harrap/><ref name=Turkey/><ref name=Linda>Linda H. Beidleman and Eugene N. Kozloff {{google books|1bMwDwAAQBAJ|Plants of the San Francisco Bay Region: Mendocino to Monterey (2003)|page=139}}</ref> small anthers.<ref name=Harrap/><ref name=North/>

After flowering, it produces fruits (or seed capsules). They are small {{convert|0.3|–|0.47|cm|ftin|abbr=on}} across,<ref name=North/><ref name=Harrap/> reniform (kidney shaped),<ref name="naturespot"/><ref name=Harrap/> to ovate-cordate shaped.<ref name=North/> They have a wart-like surface,<ref name=Readers/> and irregularly wrinkled,<ref name=Harrap/> or has pointed bumps.<ref name=Linda/> The fruit only contains 1 or 2 seeds,<ref name=Readers/> the dirty yellowish,<ref name=Atlas>Vít Bojnanský and Agáta Fargašová {{google books|5vd_ZE7UDV8C|Atlas of Seeds and Fruits of Central and East-European Flora: The Carpathian Mountains Region (2007)|page=185}}</ref> seeds are small,<ref name=Readers/> 1.1-1.5 by 1.3-1.7 mm,<ref name=North/><ref name=Atlas/> elliptic and flattish,<ref name=Atlas/> and pear-shaped,<ref name=Readers/> or ovate-oblong.<ref name=North/> They are curved but not winged.<ref name=North/>

==Phytochemistry== The chemotaxonomy of the plant was completed in 2008.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Radulović |first1=Niko |last2=Zlatković |first2=Bojan |last3=Skropeta |first3=Danielle |last4=Palić |first4=Radosav |title=Chemotaxonomy of the peppergrass ''Lepidium coronopus'' (L.) Al-Shehbaz (syn. ''Coronopus squamatus'') based on its volatile glucosinolate autolysis products |journal=Biochemical Systematics and Ecology |date=October 2008 |volume=36 |issue=10 |pages=807–811 |doi=10.1016/j.bse.2008.07.006 |url=http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0305197808001105 |access-date=3 December 2017|url-access=subscription }}</ref> It's chromosome count is 2n = 32.<ref name="efloras"/>

==Taxonomy== [[File:Coronopus ruellii Sturm29.jpg|thumb|Illustration from ''Deutschlands Flora in Abbildungen'' painted by Johann Georg Sturm in 1796]] It has a few common names including 'creeping wart cress',<ref>John H. Wiersema and Blanca León {{google books|AIrNBQAAQBAJ|World Economic Plants: A Standard Reference, Second Edition (2013)|page=855}}</ref> 'warty swine-cress', which is derived from the distinctive fruits,<ref name="wild"/> 'crowfoot' (it's leaf shape <ref name=Gledhill/>), 'greater swine cress',<ref name=Dickinson/><ref>Arthur Haines {{google books|RKKWVwC_sdoC|New England Wild Flower Society's Flora Novae Angliae: A Manual for the identification of Native and Naturalized higher vascular plants of New England (2011)|page=488}}</ref> and 'swine cress'.<ref name="naturespot"/><ref name=Grin/> The name 'swine cress' comes from its use as a poor quality salad alternative and thought only suitable for eating by pigs.<ref name=Readers/>

It was originally described and published as ''Cochlearia coronopus'' by the Swedish botanist Carl Linnaeus in his seminal publication 'Species Plantarum' Vol.2 in 1753, on page 648. Later as the ''Lepidium'' species was formed, Ihsan Ali Al-Shehbaz then published the plant as ''Lepidium coronopus'' in 'Novon' Vol.14 on page 152 in 2004.<ref name="Plantlist">{{cite web |title=''Lepidium coronopus'' (L.) Al-Shehbaz is an accepted name |url=http://www.theplantlist.org/tpl1.1/record/kew-2356176 |website=23 March 2012 |publisher=theplantlist.org |access-date=2 December 2017}}</ref>

The specific epithet ''coronopus'' takes its name from the Greek, as found in Theophrastus' treatise on plants (c. 371 – c. 287 BC, Greek philosopher and author). The name in Greek is κορωνοπους, meaning 'crowfoot' (or κορωνηπους ), and revolves around the leaf's shape.<ref name=Gledhill>D. Gledhill {{Google books|NJ6PyhVuecwC|The Names of Plants|page=122}}</ref><ref>Archibald William Smith {{google books|ahNMkgoNJ7IC|A Gardener's Handbook of Plant Names: Their Meanings and Origins|page=319}}</ref>

==Distribution and habitat== ''Lepidium coronopus'' is native to temperate areas of Africa, western Asia and Europe.<ref name=Dickinson/><ref name="Grin">{{cite web|title=Taxon: ''Lepidium coronopus'' (L.) Al-Shehbaz|url=https://npgsweb.ars-grin.gov/gringlobal/taxonomydetail.aspx?id=454282|publisher=npgsweb.ars-grin.gov|access-date=2 December 2017}}</ref><ref name="Synopsis">{{cite journal|last1=Al-Shehbaz|first1=Ihsan A.|title=A Synopsis Of The South American Lepidum (Brassicaceae)|journal=Darwiniana|date=2010|volume=48|issue=2|pages=141–167|url=http://www.scielo.org.ar/pdf/darwin/v48n2/v48n2a02.pdf |access-date=5 December 2017}}</ref>

===Range=== It is found in Africa, within Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco and Tunisia. It is also found in western Asia, within Armenia, Azerbaijan, the Caucasus, Dagestan (in Russia), Georgia, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria and Turkey. In middle Europe, it is found within Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, the Netherlands, Poland, Slovakia, Switzerland and Ukraine. In northern Europe, within Denmark, Finland, Ireland, Sweden and the United Kingdom.<ref name="Grin"/> In southern England, around the coasts of Wales and on the southern coasts in Ireland, it is common.<ref name="wild"/> In south-eastern Europe, within Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Greece, Italy, Macedonia, Montenegro, Romania, Serbia and Slovenia. In southwestern Europe within France, Portugal and Spain.<ref name="Grin"/>

It has also widely naturalised in other places, such as Norway in Europe. In Africa, within the Azores, the Madeira Islands, the Canary Islands and South Africa.<ref name="Synopsis"/><ref name="efloras"/> In Australia,<ref name="Synopsis"/><ref name="efloras"/> within the state of South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria and in New Zealand.<ref name="Grin"/> In America, has widely naturalised in North America, from the provinces of New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Ontario and Quebec in Canada. Also in the American states of Missouri, New Jersey, Alabama, Louisiana, Tennessee and California.<ref name="efloras"/><ref name=Dickinson/> Lastly in South America, within Chile.<ref name="Synopsis"/><ref name="Grin"/><ref name=North/>

===Habitat=== It is found growing in waste grounds,<ref name=Readers/><ref name="naturespot"/><ref name="wildfood"/> pathways,<ref name="naturespot"/> arable fields,<ref name=Harrap/><ref name="wildfood"/> abandoned fields, pastures, disturbed sites and along roadsides.<ref name="efloras"/><ref name="wildfood"/> It also likes well trodden places,<ref name=Readers/> or compacted soils,<ref name=Harrap/> such as field gateways,<ref name="naturespot"/> or field entrances.<ref name=Harrap/>

==Uses== It was previously used as an alternative to watercress (in salads), but it was deemed such poor quality and only suitable for pigs to eat.<ref name=Readers/> It is thought to be slightly tasting of mustard.<ref name="wildfood"/>

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== * [http://www.ukflymines.co.uk/Keys/CORONOPUS.php Leaf-miners on Swine-cress (''C. squamatus'') is native and Lesser Swine-cress (''C. didymus'')]

coronopus Category:Flora of North Africa Category:Flora of Western Asia Category:Flora of Europe Category:Plants described in 1753 Category:Botanical taxa named by Carl Linnaeus