Common Pepper-cress

The Basalt Pepper-cress is found in an extensive, but patchy distribution from south-eastern NSW, through Victoria to eastern parts of Tasmania.

The Basalt Pepper-cress is an erect, multi-branched perennial herb that grows up to 1 m in height, with stems and stem leaves covered in fine short needle-shaped hairs. Leaves have hairy serrated margins, and an ear-like appendage at their base. Basal leaves are toothed or pinnately lobed and stem leaves linear-lanceolate, toothed or entire and grow to 1–4 cm in length and 1–3 mm in width (. The inflorescence (flower cluster) is borne on a raceme (an unbranched inflorescence made up of flowers each on a short stalk), and the flowers themselves are very small, greenish in colour and inconspiculous. Sepals are 0.8 mm long, and petals are either reduced or absent. There are, however, two stamens. Fruit are borne on hairy, terete pedicels (3–5 mm in length) and are sometimes hairy with narrow wings.