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*The following is based on text excerpted from: Gann, G.D., K.A. Bradley, & S.W. Woodmansee. 2002. Rare Plants of South Florida: Their History, Conservation, and Restoration. The Institute for Regional Conservation: Miami. For the original text, click on the link above and go to the chapter and page number listed in the Update field below. Cite this page as: Gann, G.D., and S.W. Woodmansee. 2006-2013. Species Account Update, Floristic Inventory of South Florida Database Online. The Institute for Regional Conservation. Delray Beach, Florida. If no Update field is displayed, then cite as the original publication.
Rorippa floridana Al-Shehbaz

Coastal watercress, Florida watercress

South Florida Status: Critically imperiled. One occurrence at Fakahatchee Strand Preserve State Park.

Taxonomy: Dicotyledon; Brassicaceae.



Distribution: Endemic to Florida. Wunderlin (1998) reports it as frequent in Florida from the western panhandle to the peninsula.

South Florida Distribution: Collier and Miami-Dade counties.

South Florida Habitats: Strand swamps and riverbanks.

Protection Status: Not listed by any agency.

Aids to Identification: Tobe et al. (1998) has an illustration and a color photo.

References: Chapman, 1883; Small, 1933a; Rollins, 1993; Tobe et al., 1998; Wunderlin, 1998.

Synonyms: Cardamine curvisiliqua Shuttlew. ex Chapm.; Nasturtium microphyllum Boenn. ex Rchb., misapplied.


Historical Context: Abram P. Garber first collected Florida watercress in 1877 along the Miami River (73, FLAS), a station that was subsequently destroyed. In 1960, William G. Atwater collected Florida watercress northwest of Copeland in the Fakahatchee Strand (M-175, FLAS), presumably in what is now Fakahatchee Strand Preserve State Park. Other collections were made in the Fakahatchee in 1969 by George N. Avery (2059, FLAS), in 1979 by Walter S. Judd (2163, FLAS), and in 1985 by Alan Herndon (1182, FLAS). Florida watercress is assumed to be extant in Fakahatchee Strand Preserve State Park.

Major Threats: Exotic pest plant invasions; hydrological modifications.


Recommendations: • Map and monitor plants at Fakahatchee Strand Preserve State Park on a regular basis.