Boechera acutina
Pointed rockcress
Patrick Alexander from Las Cruces, NM (via Wikimedia Commons) · CC0
Family: Brassicaceae · Type: Perennial · Native
Boechera acutina (Pointed rockcress) is a native California perennial in the Brassicaceae family, recognized by key features include spherical pollen and habitat.
Pointed rockcress is a California native perennial found in the Klamath Ranges in gravelly slopes, meadows, and open forests at elevations of 1,200 to 2,250 meters. Flowering from June to July, this plant produces white to lavender flowers 5 to 7 millimeters long with delicate petals. Growing with slender stems 15 to 60 centimeters tall, it emerges from a short-lived basal rosette with branched hairs near the base. Its basal leaves are 1.5 to 6 millimeters wide, entire or minutely dentate, with short-stalked 3 to 5-rayed hairs. The fruit develops as an ascending silique 2.5 to 7.5 centimeters long, containing 46 to 100 seeds in a single row.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 13 sympatric species; key features include spherical pollen and habitat
Habitat and range
Habitat: Gravelly slopes, in meadows, open forest
Elevation: 1200-2250 m
Outside California: to Oregon, Idaho
Bloom period
Boechera acutina blooms Jun-Jul.
How to tell it apart
vs Arabis: Boechera pods hang downward or curve and are wider (2mm+); Arabis pods stand rigidly erect and are narrower.; vs Matthiola: Boechera has flattened pods; Matthiola has cylindrical pods and densely hairy gray-green foliage.; vs Streptanthus: Boechera petals narrow gradually without a claw; Streptanthus petals have a distinct narrow claw at base.; vs Penstemon: Boechera has four-petaled flowers and seed pods; Penstemon has tubular five-lobed flowers.; vs Caulanthus: Boechera is perennial with a woody base; Caulanthus is typically annual or biennial without a woody caudex.
Frequently asked questions
Is Boechera acutina native to California?
Yes. Boechera acutina is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Boechera acutina bloom?
Boechera acutina blooms Jun-Jul.
What plant family does Boechera acutina belong to?
Boechera acutina is in the Brassicaceae family, genus Boechera.
What habitat does Boechera acutina grow in?
Boechera acutina grows in Gravelly slopes, in meadows, open forest.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-10-06
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.