Alyssum simplex

Alyssum

Family: Brassicaceae · Type: perennial · Not Native

Alyssum is a naturalized perennial found in northern and southern coastal ranges of California and the Modoc Plateau in open rangelands, foothills, and roadsides at elevations of 1,000 to 1,500 meters. Flowering from April to July, this plant produces light yellow flowers with petals 2 to 3.5 millimeters long. Growing with erect or sometimes decumbent stems 30 to 40 centimeters tall, it has distinctive stellate (star-shaped) hairs covering its surface. Its leaves are covered with coarse, appressed stellate hairs, giving the plant a distinctive textured appearance. The fruit is round, 4 to 6.5 millimeters long, with spreading stellate hairs and a short hairy style.

Habitat: Roadsides, foothills, open rangeland

Bloom period: Apr-Jul

Elevation: 1000-1500 m

Bioregions: NCoRI, SCoRI, MP

California counties: Kern, Nevada, Modoc, Shasta, San Benito, Glenn, Lassen, Yolo

Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Jepson eFlora, Cal-IPC, and more.