Boechera serpenticola

Serpentine rockcress

Family: Brassicaceae · Type: perennial · Native

Conservation status: CNPS 1B.2

Serpentine rockcress is a rare (CNPS 1B.2) California native perennial found in southern Klamath Ranges on serpentine ridges and talus at elevations of 1,100 to 2,100 meters. Flowering from March to June, this plant produces distinctive purple flowers 6 to 8 millimeters long with petals 1.5 to 2.5 millimeters wide. Growing with slender stems 5 to 18 centimeters tall emerging from a woody caudex, it has short-stalked stems with 5 to 8-rayed hairs. Its basal leaves are narrow, 1 to 2 millimeters wide, with cauline leaves ranging from 4 to 14, featuring short-stalked, branched hairs. The fruits are horizontal, 3 to 4.5 centimeters long, with 20 to 24 seeds arranged in a single row.

Habitat: Serpentine ridges, talus

Bloom period: Mar-Jun

Elevation: 1100, 2100 m

Bioregions: s KR.

California counties: Trinity, Shasta, Tehama

Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Jepson eFlora, Cal-IPC, and more.