Coincya monensis subsp. recurvata

Star mustard, Star Mustard

Family: Brassicaceae · Type: annual · Not Native

Star mustard is a naturalized annual found in northern California coastal areas including Manila and Humboldt County in sandy, disturbed areas at an elevation of 6 meters. Flowering from May to August, this plant produces white to yellow flowers 1.3 to 2.2 centimeters long with narrow petals. Growing with erect to ascending hairy stems 10 to 100 centimeters tall, it can be simple or branched. Its leaves are pinnately lobed with 3 to 9 lobe pairs, basal leaves long-petioled and up to 20 centimeters long, with progressively smaller cauline leaves. The fruit develops as a spreading pod 3 to 9 centimeters long with 20 to 75 small, nearly spherical seeds in its lower segment.

Habitat: Sandy, disturbed areas

Bloom period: May-Aug

Elevation: 6 m

Bioregions: NCo (Manila, Humboldt Co.)

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