Boechera repanda
Yosemite rockcress
(c) Martin Purdy, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Brassicaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Conservation status: CNPS 3.3
Boechera repanda (Yosemite rockcress) is a native California herb in the Brassicaceae family, recognized by . Key features: very wide wavy-toothed leaves, wide pods, large seeds.
Yosemite rockcress is a California native perennial found in northern Coast Ranges, Sierra Nevada, eastern Western Transverse Ranges, southern California mountain ranges in rock outcrops, talus, and gravelly meadows at elevations of 1,400 to 3,600 meters. Flowering from June to July, this plant produces small white flowers approximately 3.5 to 6 millimeters long in compact clusters. Growing with slender stems 20 to 90 centimeters tall, it develops from a rosette with branched, multi-rayed hairs along its lower stem. Its basal leaves are notably wide, 7 to 50 millimeters across, with wavy or coarsely toothed margins and covered in short multi-rayed hairs. The fruit is an elongated silique 3.5 to 13.5 centimeters long, often erect to slightly spreading.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 37 sympatric species. Key features: very wide wavy-toothed leaves, wide pods, large seeds
Habitat and range
Habitat: rock outcrops, talus, gravelly soil in meadows, open pine forest
Elevation: 1400-3600 m
California counties: Fresno, San Bernardino, Los Angeles, Kern, Inyo, Tulare, Glenn, Tehama, Mono, Lassen, Plumas, Mariposa, Madera, El Dorado, Nevada, Tuolumne, Riverside, Siskiyou, Ventura, Colusa, Mendocino, Lake, Santa Barbara, Alpine
Outside California: Nevada
Bloom period
Boechera repanda blooms Jun-Jul.
Conservation status
CNPS 3.3
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 repanda native to California?
Yes. Boechera repanda is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Boechera repanda bloom?
Boechera repanda blooms Jun-Jul.
Where in California does Boechera repanda grow?
Boechera repanda occurs in Fresno, San Bernardino, Los Angeles, Kern, Inyo, Tulare, Glenn, Tehama and other counties, at elevations of 1400-3600 m.
What plant family does Boechera repanda belong to?
Boechera repanda is in the Brassicaceae family, genus Boechera.
Is Boechera repanda rare or endangered?
Boechera repanda carries California Rare Plant Rank 3.3, state rank S3.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · 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.