Rorippa nasturtium-aquaticum  (L.) Hayek   =Nasturtium officinale Brassicaceae (Mustard Family)   Europe   Water Cress

                                   March Photo

Plant Characteristics:  Aquatic perennial with prostrate or ascending stems 1-6 dm. long, rooting freely, leaves pinnate, glabrous, 1-10 cm. long, with 3-11 ovate lfts. 5-25 mm. long, subentire; pedicels divergent; fls. white, 3-4 mm. long, petals distinctly clawed, twice the length of the sepals; fr. spreading to +/- erect, 10-15 mm., narrowly oblong, straight to upcurved; pedicels +/- spreading, +/- straight, not bracted, junctions not flat, lower 8-15 mm.; style < 0.5 mm. or none; seeds, two rows per chamber, +/-  1 mm. wide, +/- round.

Habitat:  Many communities below 8000 ft., quiet water, wet banks; cismontane and desert.  March-Nov.  The cultivated Water-Cress.

Name:  From an old Saxon word, rorippon and nasus tortes, twisted nose-alluding to the pungent smell of the plant.  Aquaticum means found in the water.  (Dale 85).

General:  Very common in the freshwater portions of the study area.  Photographed along Back Bay Dr. between Big Canyon and the old Salt Works dike.  (my comments).      Ancient Persians were advised to feed water cress to their children to improve their growth.  Romans considered it excellent food for people with deranged minds.  Pliny (79-23 AD) lists over 40 medicinal uses for water cress.  Water cress contains substantial quantities of vitamins A,B,C, & B2 as well as iron, copper, magnesium and calcium.  It is low in carbohydrates and is good for diabetics. It has more iron than spinach.  The plant must live in cold flowing water.  This plant is not a relation to Genus Tropaeolum which, because of its pungent edible leaves has been given the common name of nasturtium.  The plant has been used in sandwiches, soups and salads.  (Coon 163).    The best parts are the upper stems, the taste is typical of the mustard family-peppery.  Most hikers and backpackers find it delicious as is but if in polluted water it should be cooked and thoroughly rinsed in pure water.  American Indians used the plant for liver and kidney trouble as well as to dissolve gallstones.  (Clarke 96-98).      Water-cress in common to wet areas up to 8,000 feet throughout much of the Cahuilla Indian territory (the Colorado desert, the San Bernardino and San Jacinto Mountains).  This aquatic perennial was eaten fresh in the spring or cooked like spinach and flavored prior to eating.  (Bean & Saubel 90).          Native Americans used the herb for liver and kidney trouble and to dissolve kidney stones.  J.E. Meyers of the  Botanical Gardens of Hammond, Indiana states that watercress is one of the best sources of Vitamin E.  (Hutchens 212).      Parkinson in 1640 says, "Leaves or juice applied to the face or other parts troubled with freckles, pimples, spots or the like, at night and washed away in the morning.  The juice mixed with vinegar to the forehead is good for lethargy or drowsy feeling."       Coronado found it near the Gila River in Arizona and in 1769 Padre Crespi speaks of it.  In 1806 Lewis and Clark found it in Oregon.  Indians used the plant for liver and kidney trouble and to dissolve gallstones.  It is now commonly used for salads and to garnish other dishes.  (Sweet 6).       Rorippa nasturtium-aquaticum, a non-native plant was used by the Luiseno as greens.  The northern Diegueno boiled the leaves and the Kawaiisu boiled or ate them raw, usually with salt. (Campbell 140).      The larvae of the Cabbage White butterfly, Pieris rapae, feed on members of the Mustard family including cabbage, broccoli, mustards, watercress and peppergrass.  (No author, sbnature, A Journal of the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History. Spring 2004/Vol. 2 No.1, 6-8).         A fairly large genus of temperate regions.  (Munz, Flora So. Calif. 298.

Text Ref:  Abrams, Vol. II 276; Dale 84; Hickman, Ed. 435; Munz, Calif. Flora 240; Munz, Flora So. Calif. 298; Roberts 16.

Photo Ref: April 2 84 # 15; June-July 87 # 12.  

Identity: by R. De Ruff.  

First Found:  April 1984.

Computer Ref: Plant Data 12.

Have plant specimen.

Last edit 10/17/04.  

                                     June Photo                                                                                  April Photo