Page authors: David Giblin, Don Knoke
Nasturtium officinale
watercress
Specimens
Photos

Distribution: Occurring on both sides of the Cascades crest in Washington; Alaska to California, east across North America to the Atlantic Coast.

Habitat: Riparian zones and other wet areas.

Flowers: May-September

Origin: Introduced from Europe

Growth Duration: Perennial

Conservation Status: Not of concern

Pollination: Bees, flies, butterflies

Description:
General:

Aquatic, glabrous perennial, the stems often floating and rooting at the nodes, fleshy, limp, 1-5 dm. long, only the tip erect.

Leaves:

Leaves alternate, pinnate, the 3-11 segments ovate to lanceolate, the terminal lobe much the largest.

Flowers:

Inflorescence of flat-topped, bractless racemes, elongate in fruit; pedicles 8-20 mm. long, spreading; sepals 4, whitish, the outer pair saccate at the base; petals 4, white to purplish-veined and -tinged, broadly spatulate, 3-4 mm. long; stamens 6; style stout, 1 mm. long, the stigma bi-lobed.

Fruits:

Siliques mostly about 15 mm. long and 2 mm. broad, spreading, curved, and somewhat erect; seeds in 2 series.

Accepted Name:
Nasturtium officinale W.T. Aiton
Publication: Hortus Kew. 4: 110. 1812.

Synonyms & Misapplications:
Rorippa nasturtium-aquaticum (L.) Hayek [HC]
Sisymbrium nasturtium-aquaticum L.
Additional Resources:

PNW Herbaria: Specimen records of Nasturtium officinale in the Consortium of Pacific Northwest Herbaria database

WA Flora Checklist: Nasturtium officinale checklist entry

OregonFlora: Nasturtium officinale information

E-Flora BC: Nasturtium officinale atlas page

CalPhotos: Nasturtium officinale photos

23 photographs:
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