Boechera stricta
Drummond's rockcress
(c) J Straka, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by J Straka · licence
Family: Brassicaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Boechera stricta (Drummond's rockcress) is a native California herb in the Brassicaceae family, recognized by erect appressed fruits and 2-ranked seeds.
Drummond's rockcress is a California native perennial found in the Sierra Nevada and Great Basin in rocky slopes, gravelly soil, open conifer forest, and montane meadows at elevations of 1,800 to 3,400 meters. Flowering from May to August, this plant produces white to pale lavender flowers that are 5 to 11 millimeters long. Growing with slender stems 15 to 100 centimeters tall, it emerges from a short, generally non-woody caudex with stems rising from the center of a basal rosette. Its basal leaves are 2 to 10 millimeters wide, entire, and covered with short two-rayed hairs, while cauline leaves range from 6 to 52 with small basal lobes. The fruit develops as an erect, appressed silique 4 to 10 centimeters long, containing 110 to 216 seeds arranged in two rows.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 34 sympatric species; key features are erect appressed fruits and 2-ranked seeds
Habitat and range
Habitat: Rocky slopes, gravelly soil, in open conifer forest, montane meadows
Elevation: 1800-3400 m
California counties: Inyo, Mono, Madera, Fresno, Tulare, El Dorado, Tuolumne, Mariposa, Placer, Siskiyou, Nevada, Alpine, Kern, Modoc, Trinity, Sierra, Sacramento, Amador
Outside California: to Alaska, eastern North America, New Mexico
Bloom period
Boechera stricta blooms May-Aug.
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 stricta native to California?
Yes. Boechera stricta is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Boechera stricta bloom?
Boechera stricta blooms May-Aug.
Where in California does Boechera stricta grow?
Boechera stricta occurs in Inyo, Mono, Madera, Fresno, Tulare, El Dorado, Tuolumne, Mariposa and other counties, at elevations of 1800-3400 m.
What plant family does Boechera stricta belong to?
Boechera stricta is in the Brassicaceae family, genus Boechera.
What habitat does Boechera stricta grow in?
Boechera stricta grows in Rocky slopes, gravelly soil, in open conifer forest, montane meadows.
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.