Plants of
South Australia
Pachymitus cardaminoides
Brassicaceae
Sand Cress
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Regional Species Conservation Assessments per IBRA subregion.
Least concern
Near threatened
Rare
Vulnerable
Endangered
Critically endangered
Extinct
Data deficient
Adelaide
Arkaroola
Ceduna
Coober Pedy
Hawker
Innamincka
Marla
Marree
Mount Gambier
Oodnadatta
Renmark
Wudinna
Keith
Yunta
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Prior names

Sisymbrium lucae

Pachymitus cardaminoides var. dasycarpus

Pachymitus lucae

Erysimum lucae

Erysimum cardaminoides

Blennodia lucae

Sisymbrium cardaminoides

Blennodia cardaminoides

Etymology

Pachymitus from the Greek 'pachys' meaning thick and 'mitos' meaning a thread, referring to the stout pedicels. Cardaminoides means resembling the genus Cardamine (from the Greek 'kardamon' a name given by Dioscorides for a species of cress, an Indian spice).

Distribution and status

Found scattered in the east central part of South Australia, growing on a variety of soil types and habitats. Also found in New South Wales and Victoria. Native. Common in South Australia. Common in the other States.
Herbarium regions: Flinders Ranges, Eastern, Eyre Peninsula, Murray, Yorke Peninsula, South Eastern
NRM regions: Eyre Peninsula, Northern and Yorke, South Australian Murray-Darling Basin
AVH map: SA distribution map (external link)

Plant description

Erect, many-stemmed annual herb to 30 cm high, hairy. Basal leaves petiolate, to 13 cm long; pinnately lobed, the lateral lobes linear to toothed; stem leaves reducing to entire, sessile. Inflorescence a dense elongated spike with white flowers. Flowering between June and October. Fruits are long hairy, brown pod to 19 mm long and 1.6 mm wide. Seed embryo type is bent.

Seed collection and propagation

Collect seeds between September and December. Collect maturing pods, turning pale brown with hard seeds inside. Be gentle with the pods as they split open easily. Place the pods in a tray and cover with paper to prevent seeds from popping out and leave to dry for a week. Then rub the dried pods gently by hand to dislodge the seeds. Use a sieve to separate the unwanted material. Store the seeds with a desiccant such as dried silica beads or dry rice, in an air tight container in a cool and dry place.