Ajuga vs Bastard Cress

Ajuga reptans compared with Lepidium campestre

Key Differences

• Ajuga is Endangered while Bastard Cress is Least Concern.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Ajuga	Bastard Cress
Kingdom same	Plantae (Plants)	Plantae (Plants)
Phylum same	Magnoliophyta (Flowering Plants)	Magnoliophyta (Flowering Plants)
Class same	Magnoliopsida (Dicots)	Magnoliopsida (Dicots)
Order	Lamiales (Lamiales)	Brassicales (Brassicales)
Family	Lamiaceae	Brassicaceae
Genus	Ajuga	Lepidium
Species	Ajuga reptans	Lepidium campestre

Evolutionary Relationship

Ajuga and Bastard Cress share a common ancestor at the Class level: Magnoliopsida. (Dicots)

Conservation Status

Ajuga

EN — Endangered

Bastard Cress

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Ajuga	Bastard Cress
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Ajuga

Habitat

Found across multiple habitat types including temperate broadleaf and mixed forests, tundra, and tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests, among 11 distinct biome types. Populations are also found in montane and highland environments at higher elevations.

Range

Widely distributed across Africa (South Africa), Asia (Japan), Europe (6 countries), North America (Canada, United States), Oceania and the Pacific (Australia, New Zealand), and South America (Brazil, Colombia). Currently classified as Endangered on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

Bastard Cress

Habitat

Found across multiple habitat types including tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests, temperate coniferous forests, and temperate broadleaf and mixed forests, among 7 distinct biome types spanning the Indomalayan and Palearctic realms. Populations are also found in montane and highland environments at higher elevations.

Range

Widely distributed across Africa (South Africa), Asia (China, Japan), Europe (16 countries), North America (Canada, United States), Oceania and the Pacific (Australia), and South America (Brazil, Chile).

Ajuga

The Ajuga (Ajuga reptans) is a species in the genus Ajuga. It is currently classified as Endangered on the IUCN Red List. Found across multiple habitat types including temperate broadleaf and mixed forests, tundra, and tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests, among 11 distinct biome types. Populations are also found in montane and highland environment.

Bastard Cress

The Bastard Cress (Lepidium campestre) is a species in the genus Lepidium. It is currently classified as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. Found across multiple habitat types including tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests, temperate coniferous forests, and temperate broadleaf and mixed forests, among 7 distinct biome types spanning the Indomalayan and Palearctic re.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 9 countries:

🇦🇺 Australia 🇧🇷 Brazil 🇨🇦 Canada 🇩🇰 Denmark 🇯🇵 Japan 🇳🇴 Norway 🇿🇦 South Africa 🇸🇪 Sweden 🇺🇸 United States