Boechera cobrensis

Masonic rockcress

Family: Brassicaceae · Type: perennial · Native

Conservation status: CNPS 2B.3

Masonic rockcress is a rare (CNPS 2B.3) California native perennial found in the northern Desert Mountains and southeastern California in sandy soil under shrubs at elevations of 1,350 to 3,400 meters. Flowering from May to June, this plant produces white to lavender flowers 3.5 to 6 millimeters long with delicate petals. Growing with slender stems up to 25 centimeters tall, it develops from a somewhat woody caudex with stems emerging from the center of a basal rosette. Its basal leaves are 1 to 4 millimeters wide, entire and covered with short-stalked, 4 to 10-rayed hairs, while cauline leaves are sparse and minimally hairy. The fruit is a distinctive pendulous pod 2.5 to 5.5 centimeters long, hanging freely with smooth surfaces.

Habitat: Sandy soil, under shrubs in semi-desert

Bloom period: May-Jun

Elevation: 1350-3400 m

Bioregions: SNE, n DMtns

California counties: Mono, Tulare, Inyo

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