Lepidium coronopus

Lepidium coronopus

Lappolina gramignola or cock’s foot (Lepidium coronopus (L.) Al-Shehbaz) is a herbaceous species belonging to the Brassicaceae family.

Systematics –
From the systematic point of view it belongs to the Eukaryota Domain, Kingdom Plantae, Magnoliophyta Division, Magnoliopsida Class, Capparales Order, Brassicaceae Family and therefore to the Lepidium Genus and to the L. corono pus Species.
The terms are synonymous:
– Carara coronopus (Linnaeus) Medikus;
– Cochlearia coronopus L .;
– Cochlearia repens Lam .;
– Cochlearia tenuifolia Salisb .;
– Coronopus coadunatus Stokes;
– Coronopus coronopus (Linnaeus) H. Karsten;
– Coronopus cristatus Clairv .;
– Coronopus depressus Moench;
– Coronopus procumbens Cesati et al .;
– Coronopus procumbens Gilib .;
– Coronopus ruellii All .;
– Coronopus squamatus (Forssk.) Asch .;
– Coronopus squamatus subsp. conradi Muschl .;
– Coronopus squamatus subsp. conradii (Muschl.) Maire, 1967;
– Coronopus squamatus subsp. verrucarius Muschl .;
– Coronopus verrucarius (Garsault) Asch., 1906;
– Coronopus verrucarius (Garsault) Muschl. & Thell. formerly Thell .;
– Coronopus verrucarius var. procumbens Muschl .;
– Coronopus vulgaris Desf .;
– Crucifera ruellii E.H.L.Krause;
– Lepidium cristatum Lapeyr .;
– Lepidium squamatum Forssk .;
– Myagrum coronopus (L.) Crantz;
– Nasturtium verrucarium Garsault;
– Senebiera coronopus (L.) Cav .;
– Senebiera coronopus (L.) Poir .;
– Senebiera squamata N.J.C. Muell., 1868

Etymology –
The term Lepidium comes from the Greek λεπίδιον lepídion diminutive of λεπίϛ lepís squama (of fish), scales: due to the shape of the siliquettes similar to small scales.
The specific epithet coronopus comes from the Greek κορώνη coróne crow and πούς pous foot: reference to the shape of the leaves that resemble the legs of a crow.

Geographic Distribution and Habitat –
Lepidium coronopus is an annual plant native to southern Europe, southwestern Asia, northern Africa and also present in California, eastern Canada, the central and eastern United States.
Present in Italy in all regions except in Valle d’Aosta (erroneously reported in Trentino-Alto Adige and Calabria).
Its Hanitat is that of ruderal vegetation subject to foot traffic, on pavements, along road margins, in paved squares, on primitive to loamy-clayey and rather humid and fresh soils, rich in nitrogen compounds, from sea level to about 1000 m .

Description –
Lappolina gramignola is an annual, glabrous or puberulent herbaceous plant. G.
The stem is prostrate to decumbent, generally different from the base, (0.3) 0.6-2.5 (3.5) dm, distally branched.
The leaves are basal rosettes of (3) 4-10 (15) cm, divided 1-2 pinnately, whole or toothed lobes; petiole, pinnately divided, base wedge with whole or toothed lobes.
The inflorescence is on the opposite side of the leaves, not elongated with a hairless rachis.
The flowers have sepals of 1-1.5 mm, persistent; the petals are white, obovate, 1-2 mm long, 0.4-0.6 mm wide; have 6 stamens.
The antesis is between March and June.
The fruit is an indehiscent siliqua of 2.5 x 4 mm, with thick, wrinkled valves and 1 mm high, glabrous warts; stylus of 0.2-0.7mm. Seeds ovate-oblong, curved, 1.2-1.6 x 0.7-1 mm.

Cultivation –
Lepidium coronopus is a grass that grows in ruderal environments subject to foot traffic, on pavements, along road edges, in paved squares.
This plant prefers recently evolved to loamy-clayey and rather humid and fresh soils, rich in nitrogen compounds, from sea level to about 1000 m.
In these environments it often grows in intercropping with Lolium perenne, Plantago major, Poa annua, etc.

Customs and Traditions –
Lepidium corono pus has been used for medicinal purposes but there is little and fragmentary information about it.

Preparation Method –
The leaves of this plant are used for medicinal purposes about which there is little information and scientific research on the matter.

Guido Bissanti

Sources
– Acta Plantarum – Flora of the Italian Regions.
– Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
– Useful Tropical Plants Database.
– Conti F., Abbate G., Alessandrini A., Blasi C. (edited by), 2005. An annotated checklist of the Italian vascular flora, Palombi Editore.
– Pignatti S., 1982. Flora of Italy, Edagricole, Bologna.
– Treben M., 2000. Health from the Lord’s Pharmacy, Advice and experiences with medicinal herbs, Ennsthaler Editore.

Warning: Pharmaceutical applications and alimurgical uses are indicated for informational purposes only, they do not represent in any way a medical prescription; we therefore decline all responsibility for their use for curative, aesthetic or food purposes.