Ginninderra Peppercress (Lepidium ginninderrense)

Descriptions

The Ginninderra Peppercress is a perennial herb that grows in Natural Temperate Grassland.
It grows up to 20 cm high with 1-6 branched stems and thick, fleshy leaves.
It has small cream-coloured flowers that bloom in late spring.
It produces seeds in December that spread in autumn and winter.
The plant grows in alluvial soil which is made from sand and earth left by rivers and floods.
It usually grows in shallow, bare spots that collect water after it rains. It’s often found with other native grassland plants.

The Ginninderra Peppercress is a very rare species, and it’s only found in the ACT.
The main population lives in the Lawson Grasslands in the ACT.

The Ginninderra Peppercress only lives in a few locations. Its biggest threat is loss of habitat. Other threats include:

urban development
changes to drainage patterns that can cause overgrowth and weed invasion
short lifespan of individual plants, making them vulnerable to short-term disruptions
climate change conditions such as drought, and intense and frequent fires
lack of connection between populations and low genetic diversity.

National – Critically Endangered (Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999).
Australian Capital Territory – Critically Endangered (Nature Conservation Act 2014).

Conservation actions aim to:

manage its habitat so it can develop naturally in the wild
manage nearby grassland to increase its potential habitat area and grow new populations
continue to collect seeds to re-grow the plants if they become extinct in the wild
monitor other sites during vegetation surveys
manage urban development, recreational activities, weeds, and grazing on and near its habitat.