Lepidium draba

Lepidium draba

The whitetop or hoary cress, Thanet cress, Heart-Pod Hoary Cress (Lepidium draba L.) is a herbaceous species belonging to the Brassicaceae family.

Systematic –
From a systematic point of view it belongs to:
Eukaryota domain,
Kingdom Plantae,
Subkingdom Tracheobionta,
Spermatophyta Superdivision,
Division Magnoliophyta,
Class Magnoliopsida,
Subclass Dilleniidae,
Capparales Order,
Brassicaceae family,
Tribe Lepidieae,
Genus Lepidium,
Species L. draba.
The terms are synonymous:
– Cardaria brachypetala Opiz;
– Cardaria brachysepala Opiz, 1852;
– Cardaria cochlearia Spach;
– Cardaria draba (L.) Desv.;
– Cardaria draba subsp. draba (L.) Desv.;
– Cardaria draba var. dunense Rouy & Foucaud;
– Cardiolepis dentata Wallr.;
– Cochlearia draba (L.) L.;
– Crucifera cardaria E.H.L.Krause;
– Draba ruderalis Baumg.;
– Hymenophysa macrocarpa Franch.;
– Jundzillia draba (L.) Andrz.;
– Jundzillia draba Andrz. ex DC.;
– Lepidium arvense J.S.Muell.;
– Lepidium arvense Mill.;
– Lepidium diversifolium Freyn & Sint. ex Freyn;
– Lepidium draba subsp. draba;
– Lepidium draba subsp. eudraba Thell.;
– Lepidium draba var. longistylum Trautv.;
– Lepidium draba var. matritense (Pau) Thell.;
– Lepidium drabifolium St-Lag.;
– Lepidium madritense Pau, 1887;
– Lepidium matritense Pau;
– Nasturtium draba (L.) Crantz;
– Nasturtium draba (Linnaeus) Kuntze.

Etymology –
The term Lepidium comes from the Greek λεπίδιον lepídion diminutive of λεπίϛ lepís squama (of fish), scale: due to the shape of the siliquettes similar to small scales.
The specific epithet draba comes from the Greek δράβη, drábe name of a plant in Dioscorides (perhaps Cardaria draba or Lepidium draba); De Theis writes that according to Linnaeus (Phil. bot.) δράβη means sour, pungent, referring to the flavor of the leaves.

Geographic Distribution and Habitat –
Lepidium draba is a plant native to western Asia and south-eastern Europe but widely introduced in various parts of the world. It is present throughout much of the Mediterranean, where it extends north to southern European Russia and east to Kazakhstan, Pakistan and Arabia.
Its current wide distribution reflects its adaptability and ability to grow and reproduce in different environmental conditions, from coastal to mountainous locations. On the Asian plateaus it reaches up to 4200 m of altitude, in the Alps up to 1520 m, in Iran and Jordan at 1600 m, in the Baha plateau (Saudi Arabia) from 1700-2400 m.
It is an invasive species in some parts of the world such as North America, introduced by contaminated seeds in the early 1900s. It is also widespread in much of south-eastern and south-western Australia.
In the areas where it has been introduced (such as Great Britain, Canada, the United States, South Africa, Australia, etc.) it acts as a pest of arable land and pastures, and is also present in uncultivated lands, on the banks of ditches, on railway embankments and along the edges of the roads. Cropping systems, such as plowing, can favor its spread. Today it is naturalized in much of the world, suitable as it is for every climate, from sea level to 1520 m in the Alps and 4200 m in the Asian highlands.
Its habitat is thus that of the arable fields, wastelands and ditches of Mediterranean and south-eastern Europe,
It is typical of open areas but can tolerate moderate shade, prefers dry, nutrient-rich, sandy and gravelly soil, sometimes clayey but does not tolerate water stagnation.

Description –
Lepidium draba is a herbaceous, perennial plant, glabrous or with simple hairs, which grows up to 60-80 cm, equipped with rhizomatous, brown-coloured roots, both vertical (they go down to a depth of up to 75-80 cm) and horizontal from which they they form rosettes of leaves.
From the center of the rosette the stems rise, sub-glabrous or grey-pubescent, simple, branched at the top.
The basal leaves are not persistent, they are petiolate, lanceolate, undivided with an entire or toothed margin of 1-3 x 2-7 cm.
The upper leaves are hairy or glabrous, lanceolate with slightly toothed margin, 1-5 (-8) cm long and 1-3 cm wide, alternate, sessile, semi-amplexicauli with a bi-auriculate base.
The inflorescence is a raceme similar to a flat corymb with flowers supported by 2-10 mm long pedicels, more or less ready for fruiting.
The flowers are hermaphroditic, actinomorphic with four white spatulate, clawed petals, 3-5 mm long and sepals, approximately half the size of the petals (1.5-2.5 mm), glabrous, deciduous, green in color sometimes with a whitish margin . The androecium is made up of six tetradynamic stamens with 2-3 mm filaments and 0.4-0.5 mm ovate anthers. The ovary is made up of 2 welded carpels. The stylus is 0.7-1.5 mm long.
Pollination is entomogamous (carried out by insects) but, sometimes, autogamous. The plant generally flowers from May to July and bears fruit after one or two months but, in favorable climatic conditions, it can also produce seeds in autumn.
The fruits are 3-4 mm obcordate siliquettes, bilobed, glabrous, reticulated and covered with small scales, with a 0.7-1.5 mm style.
Inside there is one seed per niche of 1.5-2.3 mm, ovoid, reddish-brown, with a longitudinal depression.

Cultivation –
Lepidium draba is a perennial plant that is harvested in the wild for local use as food and medicine.
This plant is widespread in a wide range of habitats; at high and low latitudes. It is found in irrigated, high-moisture soils and also exists in arid regions. It invades all types of soil, although it prefers alkaline ones and can germinate in saline soils. All these characteristics and adaptations provide exceptional advantages to this plant and reflect its high potential for invasion of different agricultural systems. The plant can invade both agricultural and natural ecosystems.
Under certain conditions this plant represents a serious threat to agriculture and the environment. It has a high ecological tolerance and is potentially harmful to human and animal health. Its ability to invade and reproduce by various means and to host phytopathogens make this invasive weed with significant problems for humans and natural resources.
It is a moderately cold-resistant plant, being able to tolerate temperatures that drop to around -20 °C.
Due to its growth it is a very versatile plant, although it needs a sunny position to thrive. It grows in most soils, although it prefers neutral to alkaline conditions. It tolerates soils with high moisture content and can also grow in semi-arid conditions and in saline soils.
Introduced and invasive in various countries such as Great Britain where it was introduced around 1802 in the port of Swansea, probably as ballast. In 1840 it arrived in the area around Newhaven, along with imported wheat seeds. By 1887 it was present in several parts of southern Britain, in the eastern counties and in Wales. In North America the plant was probably introduced by European settlers together with alfalfa seeds or ship ballast. In Canada it was reported in 1878 and in the United States, on Long Island (New York) in 1862.
In Europe it invades the crops of corn, cereals, potatoes, sugar beet, sunflowers, tobacco, vegetables and vineyards. In the former Soviet Union it is one of the main weeds of barley, in Australia it is found in cereal fields and in Jordan, Spain and Switzerland in orchards, in Iran it is found in sugar beet crops and in southern Africa and the United States in the pastures.
It has been verified that a single plant can cover an area of 3.6 m² in one year. Most of the biomass, about 76%, is found underground and the creeping and deeply penetrating roots make it difficult to eradicate.
L. draba is a plant that is difficult to control with normal cultivation techniques, it also survives mulching and soil processing with agricultural machinery, which by crushing the roots favors its vegetative reproduction.
In the United Kingdom, regular and frequent cutting of the aerial parts is carried out, avoiding the production of seeds and at the same time reducing reserves in the roots. This type of control is also practiced in Canada. Deep ploughing, at least 40 cm, and subsequent setting aside of the soil (fallow) can be effective.
The plant also invades natural environments, representing a serious threat to native species and ecosystems which are becoming depleted of biodiversity. Wildlife is also negatively affected by the presence of this plant.
It is estimated that a mature plant can produce 1,200 to 4,800 seeds. The dissemination is anemochorous, that is, carried out by the wind, and the seeds can remain viable in the soil for about two-three years.
The species can reproduce vegetatively from root fragments. In fact, buds can form from those close to the ground, giving rise to rosettes, while deep roots can produce new ones that reach the surface.
Generally it is an invasive plant, allelopathic towards the species that surround it, and difficult to eradicate.

Customs and Traditions –
Lepidium draba is a plant known by some common names; among these are: “whitetop”, “hoary cress”, “Thanet cress”, “Heart-Pod Hoary Cress” (English); “lattona”, “cardaria draba”, “crescene hoary”, “cima bianca” (Italian); “flor bábol”, “capellanes”, “mastuerzo oriental”, “mastuerzo bárbaro”, “coroneta” (Spanish).
It is a plant that has always been used in traditional medicine, so it shows, on the other hand, promising medicinal virtues and in Spain it also finds culinary uses.
In fact, it has been proven that the plant has antibacterial activity on Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus subtilis (Gram-positive) and on Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Escherichia coli (Gram-negative).
In Spain, as mentioned, Lepidium draba is considered an edible wild species with high nutritional value. The young leaves and shoots are used raw in salads, while the mature leaves are cooked as aromatic herbs. The seed is used in condiments as a substitute for pepper.
It also lends itself to being used as an ornamental plant, particularly in gardens but with all the necessary precautions.
In traditional medicine Lepidium draba was used against a wide range of disorders such as anti-inflammatory, anti-tumor, antimicrobial, antioxidant, hypoglycemic. In infusion, the seeds and leaves were used as an expectorant, purgative and hypoglycemic (decrease in blood glucose levels). Over the years its use has been reduced because it was considered to have limited effectiveness. Studies have recently been carried out on the contents of the aerial parts and alkaloids, saponins, flavonoids, terpenoids, tannins, triterpenoids and leucoanthocyanins have been found.
Furthermore, allelopathic glucosinolates are present in shoots and seeds which serve the plant to prevent the growth of other nearby plants. In a screening study for antimicrobial substances it was noted that extracts of aerial parts of Lepidium draba had cytotoxic activity and interfered with the nucleic acid metabolism of the bacteria.

Preparation Method –
Lepidium draba is a plant that is used for food or medicine.
The young leaves and shoots are eaten raw in salads or cooked as vegetables.
The leaves and stems have a higher level of crude protein than spinach or kale, with reported levels ranging between 7.7 and 28.8%.
One report states that young leaves contain the toxin hydrogen cyanide, but provides no further details.
The pungent leaves are used as a condiment.
The seed is used as a seasoning, it is a substitute for pepper.
In the medicinal field it is an antiscorbutic herb.
The seeds have been used as a cure for flatulence.
The infusion prepared with its leaves is diuretic.
The plant was once traditionally used for medicinal purposes, including anti-inflammatory and antibacterial treatments.

Guido Bissanti

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

Photo source:
– https://inaturalist-open-data.s3.amazonaws.com/photos/266921450/original.jpg
– https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b7/Lepidium_draba_%E2%80%94_Flora_Batava_%E2%80%94_Volume_v14.jpg

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