Lepidium coronopus   Swine-cress DD I

Coronopus squamatus whole Coronopus squamatus fruit

This is probably an archeophyte (introduced before 1500 AD) according to Stace in the Third Edition but at least in this part of the world it is far less common than the more recently introduced L. didymum (Lesser swine-cress). The other common name it has, Warty Swine-cress, describes well the distinctively fruits which distinguish it from L. didymum. Even to a tall botanist the flowers are obviously significantly larger than L. didymum, being more like 3 - 4 mm in diameter in this particular plant. The red plant at the top is Persicaria minor (Small Water-pepper).

L. coronopus is common in England and around the coasts of Wales but records quickly decrease as you go north. It is mostly found around the southern coasts in Ireland.

Shores of Llyn Coron, Anglesey, 6th October 2005

Added on October 18th 2005, updated 6th December 2008, updated 20th March 2010, updated Se3 4th May 2010

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