Cardamine pachystigma
Rock toothwort
(c) Arvel Hernandez, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Brassicaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Cardamine pachystigma (Rock toothwort) is a native California herb in the Brassicaceae family, recognized by rocky habitat, simple leaves, and large pink flowers diagnostic.
Rock toothwort is a native perennial found in the Klamath Ranges, northern Coast Ranges, northern Sierra Nevada foothills, Sierra Nevada, and southern Coast Ranges on rocky or serpentine outcrops, slopes, and cliffs at elevations of 250 to 2,900 meters. Flowering from March to May, this plant produces pink to purple (occasionally white) flowers with petals 14 to 18 millimeters long in short inflorescences. Growing with erect, simple stems 10 to 30 centimeters tall, it emerges from a fleshy, ovoid to oblong rhizome 3 to 18 millimeters wide. Its rhizome leaves are round to heart-shaped, 1 to 2.5 centimeters wide, with entire or wavy margins and long petioles 6.7 to 19.5 centimeters long. The fruit is nearly erect, 3.2 to 5.4 centimeters long, containing 10 to 14 small ovate seeds.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 9 sympatric species; rocky habitat, simple leaves, and large pink flowers diagnostic
Habitat and range
Habitat: Rocky or serpentine outcrops, slopes, cliffs, lava talus
Elevation: 250-2900 m
California counties: Tulare, Plumas, Ventura, Fresno, Kern, Nevada, Mendocino, Glenn, Butte, Tehama, El Dorado, Trinity, Humboldt, Siskiyou, Tuolumne, Placer, Shasta, Napa
Bloom period
Cardamine pachystigma blooms Mar-May.
How to tell it apart
vs Raphanus: Cardamine has narrow pencil-like pods with many seeds; Raphanus has thick beaked pods that break into segments.; vs Nasturtium: Cardamine grows on moist land in shade; Nasturtium grows in or at the edge of water in sun.; vs Viola: Cardamine has four petals and thin seed pods; Viola has five petals and a capsule that splits into three parts.; vs Vancouveria: Cardamine has four-petaled flowers and seed pods; Vancouveria has six-petaled flowers and follicles.; vs Lepidium: Cardamine has narrow pods with many seeds; Lepidium has flattened round pods with only 2 seeds.
Frequently asked questions
Is Cardamine pachystigma native to California?
Yes. Cardamine pachystigma is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Cardamine pachystigma bloom?
Cardamine pachystigma blooms Mar-May.
Where in California does Cardamine pachystigma grow?
Cardamine pachystigma occurs in Tulare, Plumas, Ventura, Fresno, Kern, Nevada, Mendocino, Glenn and other counties, at elevations of 250-2900 m.
What plant family does Cardamine pachystigma belong to?
Cardamine pachystigma is in the Brassicaceae family, genus Cardamine.
What habitat does Cardamine pachystigma grow in?
Cardamine pachystigma grows in Rocky or serpentine outcrops, slopes, cliffs, lava talus.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
- Cardamine pachystigma var. dissectifolia — dissected-leaved toothwort
- Cardamine pensylvanica — Pennsylvania bittercress
- Cardamine sp. — Bitter-cress
- Cardamine angulata — Seaside bitter cress
- Cardamine bellidifolia — Alpine bittercress
- Cardamine bellidifolia var. pachyphylla — fleshy toothwort
- Carrichtera annua — Wards weed
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.