Lepidium oleraceum

Introduction

Lepidium oleraceum is a plant that is found all across New Zealand and its surrounding Islands.
The research paper on Lepidium oleraceum tests for new threats that have presented themselves against Lepidium orelaceum and how these threats will effect conservation efforts.

Taxonomy

Kingdom: Plantae
- - - Phylum: Angiosperms
      - Clade: Tracheophytes
      - Clade: Angiosperms
      - Clade: Eudicots
      - Clade: Rosids
        Order: Brassicales
        Suborder: Brassicaceae
        Genus: Lepidium
        Species: oleraceum
- Lepidium: Scale-Shaped
- Oleraceum: As a vegetable
- Reproduces via pollination and fruit production

Background Information

Lepidium orelaceum is an edible herb plant rich in Vitamin C, hence the name "Cook's Scurvy Grass"
- Sea Captain James Cook and a few of his crew were credited with it's discovery (1770), and due to the high amounts of Vitamin C within the plant, it was used to treat Scurvy.
- Lepidium orelaceum is listed as Nationally Endangered as of 2012
- Human introduced viruses have an increasingly negative impact on the population of Lepidium oleraceum.

Data Analysis

Virus testing on plants has primarily been done on agricultural plants that present an economic benefit to society.
Scientists wanted to test L. oleraceum for common plant viruses to determine how they might effect the population, and therefore conservation efforts.
The goal of this experiment was to understand which viruses were most common among wild L. oleraceum populations so that they may better combat them.
They tested wild populations along the South Island's East Coast using a method known as double antibody sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay serological tests.
- - - To add, they used commercially available agriculture testing kits.
Samples and sub samples were taken from each population of L. oleraceum, these samples consisted of only leaves and parts of stems to reduce risk of injuring populations.
Six populations of L. oleraceum were sampled

Conclusion

Among the populations of L. oleraceum, the most ubiquitous virus was TuMV (Turnip Mosaic Virus).
- - It is believed that TuMV is the common factor for population loss in L. oleraceum.
  - TuMV is predicted to effect other native populations on the South Island of New Zealand, and will therefore effect coastal conservation efforts.
  - Scientists suggest further studies to determine how viruses like TuMV effect the overall health of L. oleraceum populations.

Citations & Photos

Citations:
Lepidium oleraceum. New Zealand Plant Conservation Network. (n.d.). Retrieved August 29, 2022, from https://www.nzpcn.org.nz/flora/species/lepidium-oleraceum/

(PDF) new threats to endangered cook's scurvy grass (lepidium oleraceum ... (n.d.). Retrieved August 30, 2022, from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/255786189_New_threats_to_endangered_Cook's_scurvy_grass_Lepidium_oleraceum_Brassicaceae_Introduced_crop_viruses_and_the_extent_of_their_spread

newsNationalWorldClimate ChangePoliticsBusinessprosperFarmingTechnologySportRugbyvoices & in depthperspectivesPou TiakiSpotlightStuff NationCartoonsKEA Kids NewsPodcastslivingTravelHomedLifeStyleEntertainmentComplexMotoringFood & WineOddstuffregionsnorthlandAucklandWaikatoBay of PlentyTaranakihawke's baymanawatuwellingtonnelsonmarlboroughcanterburysouth canterburyotagosouthlandmoreWeatherQuizzesPuzzlesNewslettersabout stuffcontributeAdvertisingCareersPrivacyContactstuff familystuff adsPlay Stuffneighbourlymags4giftsEnsemblestuff eventsstuff couponsNational. (2013, June 27). Cook's scurvy grass discovery. Stuff. Retrieved September 19, 2022, from https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/blogs/in-our-nature/8849048/Cooks-scurvy-grass-discovery