Boechera yorkii

Last chance rockcress, Last Chance Rockcress

Family: Brassicaceae · Type: perennial · Native

Conservation status: CNPS 1B.3

Last chance rockcress is a rare (CNPS 1B.3) California native perennial found in the Last Chance Range in the desert mountains of Inyo County on calcareous rock crevices and ledges at elevations of 2,250 to 2,400 meters. Flowering in May, this plant produces small yellow to brick-red flowers approximately 9 to 10 millimeters long with narrow petals. Growing 1 to 3 decimeters tall with a woody caudex, it emerges from the center of a basal rosette and has stems covered in short-stalked, 4 to 7-rayed hairs. Its basal leaves are narrow, 1 to 3 millimeters wide, and entirely unlobed, with similar branched hair structures as the stem. The immature fruit is reflexed and hairy, extending to approximately 4 centimeters long.

Habitat: Calcareous rock crevices, ledges

Bloom period: May

Elevation: 2250-2400 m

Bioregions: DMtns (Last Chance Range, Inyo Co.).

California counties: Inyo

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