Boechera dispar
Pinyon rockcress
(c) Jim Morefield, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Jim Morefield · licence
Family: Brassicaceae · Type: Subshrub · Native
Conservation status: CNPS 2B.3
Boechera dispar (Pinyon rockcress) is a native California subshrub in the Brassicaceae family, recognized by broad fruits are highly diagnostic.
Pinyon rockcress is a rare (CNPS 2B.3) California native perennial found in the Southern Mojave Mountains, Southeastern Sierra Nevada, and Desert Mountains in rocky desert scrub and pinyon-juniper woodlands at elevations of 1,200 to 2,500 meters. Flowering from April to May, this plant produces delicate purple to lavender flowers 5 to 6 millimeters long with slender petals. Growing with slender stems 30 to 90 centimeters tall, emerging from a slightly woody caudex near ground surface and covered with short branched hairs. Its basal leaves are 2 to 5 millimeters wide, entire and sparsely hairy, with cauline leaves sparse and becoming more hairy toward the stem tips. The fruit develops as a spreading-ascending silique 4 to 7.3 centimeters long, containing 44 to 52 seeds arranged in a single row.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 25 sympatric species; broad fruits are highly diagnostic
Habitat and range
Habitat: Rocky slopes, gravelly soil, in desert scrub, pinyon/juniper woodland
Elevation: 1200-2500 m
California counties: San Bernardino, Mono, Tulare, Inyo, Riverside
Outside California: southwestern Nevada
Bloom period
Boechera dispar blooms Apr-May.
Conservation status
CNPS 2B.3
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 dispar native to California?
Yes. Boechera dispar is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Boechera dispar bloom?
Boechera dispar blooms Apr-May.
Where in California does Boechera dispar grow?
Boechera dispar occurs in San Bernardino, Mono, Tulare, Inyo, Riverside, at elevations of 1200-2500 m.
What plant family does Boechera dispar belong to?
Boechera dispar is in the Brassicaceae family, genus Boechera.
Is Boechera dispar rare or endangered?
Boechera dispar carries California Rare Plant Rank 2B.3, state rank S3.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · CNPS Rare Plant Inventory · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos · CDFW CNDDB
Last updated 2026-10-07
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.