Lepidium oleraceum
| Lepidium oleraceum | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| (unranked): | Angiosperms |
| (unranked): | Eudicots |
| (unranked): | Rosids |
| Order: | Brassicales |
| Family: | Brassicaceae |
| Genus: | Lepidium |
| Species: | L. oleraceum |
| Binomial name | |
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Lepidium oleraceum G.Forst. ex Sparrm. |
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| Synonyms | |
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Lepidium oleraceum is a herb in the Brassicaceae family, endemic to New Zealand. Its English common name is Cook's scurvy grass; Māori names include nau, ngau, naunau and heketara.
There are three recognised varieties:
In New Zealand it is native to coastal areas of the North and South Islands, Stewart Island, the Three Kings Islands, the Snares Islands, the Chatham Islands, the Auckland Islands, the Antipodes Islands and the Bounty Islands. Although this species was once widespread, it is now mostly restricted to off-shore rock stacks and islets.
The small populations are highly threatened, one of the reasons being reduced populations of seabirds which they are dependent on to provide highly fertile and disturbed soils associated with nesting grounds. Additionally the species is susceptible to browsing by , rodents, snails, and insect herbivores such as aphids, leaf miners, the diamondback moth (Plutella xylostella), and the small cabbage white butterfly (Pieris rapae). It is also affected by white rust, a fungus-like disease caused by the oomycete Albugo candida.
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