Shepherd's Purse

a common dooryard weed from Europe belonging to the mustard family. Like peppergrass, which it somewhat resembles, it has a pungent, peppery taste. The name is derived from the peculiar seed pods, suggestive of a shepherd's purse. These pods are triangular in form, with a heart-like notch in the wide upper end. On examination they are found to be flattened contrary to a narrow partition which divides the pod into two compartments. A single plant is said to produce as high as 64,000 seeds. The flowers are small, white, and inconspicuous. The stem, which is much branched, springs from a cluster of toothed root-leaves. The stem-leaves are arrow-shaped and sessile.