Boechera evadens
Hidden rockcress
Patrick Alexander from Las Cruces, NM (via Wikimedia Commons) · CC0
Family: Brassicaceae · Type: Perennial · Native
Conservation status: CNPS 1B.3
Boechera evadens (Hidden rockcress) is a native California perennial in the Brassicaceae family, recognized by small white flowers and tiny seeds distinctive.
Hidden rockcress is a rare (CNPS 1B.3) California native perennial found in southern Sierra Nevada Mountains on rock outcrops at elevations of approximately 2,600 meters. Flowering in June, this plant produces white flowers 3 to 4 millimeters long with slender petals. Growing with erect stems 10 to 25 centimeters tall emerging from a slightly woody caudex, it develops from a basal rosette with distinctive branched hairs. Its basal leaves are narrow, approximately 1.5 to 3 millimeters wide, with short 4 to 8-rayed hairs, while cauline leaves have small basal lobes. The fruit develops as a spreading, slender silique 3 to 4 centimeters long, containing 46 to 52 seeds in a single row.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 23 sympatric species; small white flowers and tiny seeds distinctive
Habitat and range
Habitat: rock outcrops
Elevation: +- 2600 m.
Bloom period
Boechera evadens blooms Jun.
Conservation status
CNPS 1B.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 evadens native to California?
Yes. Boechera evadens is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Boechera evadens bloom?
Boechera evadens blooms Jun.
What plant family does Boechera evadens belong to?
Boechera evadens is in the Brassicaceae family, genus Boechera.
Is Boechera evadens rare or endangered?
Boechera evadens carries California Rare Plant Rank 1B.3, state rank S1.
What habitat does Boechera evadens grow in?
Boechera evadens grows in rock outcrops.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · CalPhotos · CDFW CNDDB
Last updated 2026-09-30
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.