Seasonal Wild Flowers

Latin name

Teesdalia nudicaulis

Family

Brassicaceae

Flowering season

April to October

English distribution

It is quite thinly scattered throughout the country and is

found in parts of the Northwest, Southwest, Northeast,

East Midlands, East Anglia, the far Southeast and the

South.

See the BSBI distribution map for Shepherd's Cress

Habitat

It appears to be quite localised by the requirement for

acidic sandy habitats and is found on heaths, dunes

and shingle.It is declining due to invasion by more

vigorous plants and because it has a short-lived seed

bank.

Description

Shepherd's Cress is a native, low-growing, winter

annual herb, growing up to 25cm. 

The flowers are in pompom-like flower heads.

Individual flowers are small, only up to 2mm across,

and have 4 white petals of unequal size.

There are 4 to 6 stamens and a short style with a

capitate stigma

The seed pods are flattened and notched.

The leaves mostly form a basal rosette and are

pinnately lobed with round leaflets.

The flower stem is smooth and hairless.

These pictures were taken in early April when the

flowers had just appeared and fruiting was rare.

Individual flowers are very small and difficult to

photograph.