Garden cress (Lepidium sativum) is an annual plant belonging to the Brassicaceae family, native to southern Asia. The plant develops shallow roots and branched stems. The basal leaves are long-petiolate and the upper leaves are sessile, filiform. The flowers are small, white, clustered in umbels. Watercress is grown for its leaves, used in gastronomy. It is used at the young plant stage, shortly after germination, because of its peppery taste and rich vitamin content.