Boechera glaucovalvula
Bluepod rockcress
(c) Jim Morefield, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Brassicaceae · Type: Subshrub · Native
Boechera glaucovalvula (Bluepod rockcress) is a native California subshrub in the Brassicaceae family, recognized by very broad reflexed fruits with large 2-rowed seeds highly distinctive.
Bluepod rockcress is a California native perennial found in the eastern Sierra Nevada and Mojave Desert bioregions on rocky slopes and gravelly soil under desert shrubs at elevations of 600 to 2,000 meters. Flowering from March to April, this plant produces light purple to lavender flowers 6 to 9 millimeters long with petals 1.5 to 2.5 millimeters wide. Growing with slender stems 10 to 45 centimeters tall, it emerges from a basal rosette with short, branched hairs. Its basal leaves are 2 to 6 millimeters wide, entire and covered with short-stalked, 4 to 8-rayed hairs. The fruit is a distinctive reflexed silique 1.8 to 4.5 centimeters long, often curved at the base and glabrous.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 19 sympatric species; very broad reflexed fruits with large 2-rowed seeds highly distinctive
Habitat and range
Habitat: Rocky slopes, gravelly soil, generally under desert shrubs
Elevation: 600-2000 m
California counties: San Bernardino, Riverside, Inyo, Mono
Outside California: southwestern Nevada
Bloom period
Boechera glaucovalvula blooms Mar-Apr.
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 glaucovalvula native to California?
Yes. Boechera glaucovalvula is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Boechera glaucovalvula bloom?
Boechera glaucovalvula blooms Mar-Apr.
Where in California does Boechera glaucovalvula grow?
Boechera glaucovalvula occurs in San Bernardino, Riverside, Inyo, Mono, at elevations of 600-2000 m.
What plant family does Boechera glaucovalvula belong to?
Boechera glaucovalvula is in the Brassicaceae family, genus Boechera.
What habitat does Boechera glaucovalvula grow in?
Boechera glaucovalvula grows in Rocky slopes, gravelly soil, generally under desert shrubs.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos
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.