Pepperweed
StarLepidium apetalum
Synonyms: Crucifera apetala, Thlaspi apetalum, Lepidium micranthum, Lepidium gobicum, Lepidium chitungense, Nasturtium incisum
Western Herbalism Properties
Traditional Uses
In traditional Chinese medicine the seeds of Lepidium apetalum are one of the botanical sources of the drug Ting Li Zi (tinglizi), used alongside Descurainia sophia; the seeds are employed to relieve cough and reduce phlegm and to promote urination and reduce edema, particularly in disorders of the lungs (Chinese Pharmacopoeia; Bensky et al., 2004).
Gallery
Botanical Description
Lepidium apetalum is an annual or biennial herb of the mustard family (Brassicaceae), growing 5-30 cm tall with erect, branching stems. The basal leaves are pinnately lobed to pinnatifid and form a rosette, while the stem leaves are smaller, narrow and entire to few-toothed. The tiny flowers are borne in elongating racemes and are inconspicuous, with the petals greatly reduced or absent (hence the epithet apetalum) and only two stamens. The fruit is a small, flattened, rounded to obovate silicle that is slightly notched at the tip and contains tiny reddish-brown seeds. A weedy plant of fields, roadsides, waste ground and disturbed soils, it is native to temperate and central Asia, including China and Mongolia, and is closely related to the cosmopolitan pepperweeds (Lepidium).
This information is for educational purposes only and is not intended to replace professional medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider before using any herbal remedy, especially if you are pregnant, nursing, or taking medications.
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