Boechera pendulina
Rabbit-ear rockcress, Rabbit-Ear Rockcress
Family: Brassicaceae · Type: perennial · Native
Conservation status: CNPS 2B.1
Rabbit-ear rockcress is a rare (CNPS 2B.1) California native perennial found in the White and Inyo Mountains on rock outcrops, open gravelly flats, and hillsides at elevations of 2,000 to 3,000 meters. Flowering from April to June, this plant produces white to pale lavender flowers 4 to 6 millimeters long in compact clusters of 4 to 14 blooms. Growing with slender stems 15 to 37 centimeters tall emerging from a slightly woody caudex, it forms delicate clusters near ground level. Its basal leaves are 1.5 to 6 millimeters wide, entire or slightly toothed, with a mix of simple and two-rayed hairs. The distinctive fruit is pendulous, 2.2 to 4 centimeters long, hanging in an unusual downward-curving position.
Habitat: rock outcrops, open gravelly flats, hillsides
Bloom period: Apr-Jun
Elevation: 2000-3000 m
Bioregions: W&I
California counties: Mono, Inyo
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Jepson eFlora, Cal-IPC, and more.