Boechera constancei

Constance's rockcress

Family: Brassicaceae · Type: perennial · Native

Conservation status: CNPS 1B.1

Constance's rockcress is a rare (CNPS 1B.1) California native perennial found in northern Sierra Nevada Mountains in Plumas County, specifically on serpentine slopes and ridges at elevations of 1,100 to 1,900 meters. Flowering in May, this plant produces predominantly white petals 6 to 8 millimeters long with subtle delicate blossoms. Growing with slender stems 1.2 to 3 decimeters tall, emerging from a woody caudex and elevated above ground surface, it develops a distinctive vertical profile. Its basal leaves measure 1.5 to 4 millimeters wide, featuring simple margin hairs and entirely glabrous leaf surfaces, with 6 to 12 cauline leaves along the stem. The fruit develops as a distinctive pendent structure 4 to 7.5 centimeters long with slightly wavy edges, containing 18 to 28 seeds arranged in a single row.

Habitat: Serpentine slopes, ridges

Bloom period: May

Elevation: 1100-1900 m

Bioregions: n SNH (Plumas Co.).

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