Ecology and Chemical composition of Lepidium virginicum L, Egypt

The present study aimed to study the introduced invasive species namely; Lepidium virginicum Two sites weed selected in the coastal area of New Damietta, Egypt.Twenty stands in orchard and canal bank fields were selected to analyze the community dominated by L. virginicum.Results indicated that at 22species were recorded associated with L. virginicum in the canal bank habitat. The dominated species were namely Conyza bonariensis, Coronopus didymus P=60%). In Orchard habitat 12 species are recorded with Dactyloctenium aegyptium (P=70%) as dominant species. Soil analyses of the two sites (canal bank and orchards).indicated that soil salinity is not important factor for the distribution of L. virginicum . The most important factors responsible for the distribution of L. virginicum were soil fertility in particular the content of nitrogen and phosphorus the soil.Both growth parameters and Chemical composition results indicated that L. virginicum can grow well in the two different habitats and it shows a wide range of adaptation because it did not respond to abiotic stress, this enable L. virginicum to be a new invader to the Egyptian flora in the coastal area.