Descurainia californica
Sierra tansy mustard
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Family: Brassicaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Descurainia californica (Sierra tansy mustard) is a native California herb in the Brassicaceae family, recognized by distinctive short fusiform fruits.
Sierra tansy mustard is a California native annual found in the Sierra Nevada, Great Basin, and Desert Mountains in open sites, sagebrush scrub, aspen groves, and open woodland at elevations of 1,700 to 3,400 meters. Flowering from May to August, this plant produces pale yellow flowers approximately 1.1 to 1.8 millimeters long. Growing with slender branched stems 20 to 105 centimeters tall that become increasingly hairy toward the top, it displays a delicate and open growth habit. Its distinctive leaves are oblanceolate to obovate, measuring 1.5 to 6 centimeters long, with 2 to 4 pairs of lanceolate lobes that have entire to slightly crenate margins. The fruit is an erect to spreading fusiform seedpod 3 to 5 millimeters long, containing 4 to 12 small ellipsoid seeds.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 10 sympatric species; distinctive short fusiform fruits are diagnostic
Habitat and range
Habitat: Open sites, sagebrush scrub, aspen groves, open woodland
Elevation: 1700-3400 m
California counties: Inyo, Mono, Tulare, Madera, Orange, San Bernardino, Tuolumne, El Dorado, Placer, Nevada, Alpine, Sierra, Fresno, Lassen, Riverside, Ventura
Outside California: to Wyoming, New Mexico
Bloom period
Descurainia californica blooms May-Aug.
How to tell it apart
vs Sisymbrium: Descurainia has soft fuzzy many-branched hairs; Sisymbrium is smooth or has simple unbranched hairs.; vs Lepidium: Descurainia has feathery divided leaves; Lepidium has simple or less-divided leaves and round flat pods.; vs Hirschfeldia: Descurainia has finely divided feathery leaves; Hirschfeldia has lobed but not finely dissected leaves.; vs Brassica: Descurainia has finely divided lacy leaves; Brassica has lobed or simple leaves, not finely dissected.; vs Erodium: Descurainia has four petals and cylindrical pods; Erodium has five petals and long-beaked fruits.
Frequently asked questions
Is Descurainia californica native to California?
Yes. Descurainia californica is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Descurainia californica bloom?
Descurainia californica blooms May-Aug.
Where in California does Descurainia californica grow?
Descurainia californica occurs in Inyo, Mono, Tulare, Madera, Orange, San Bernardino, Tuolumne, El Dorado and other counties, at elevations of 1700-3400 m.
What plant family does Descurainia californica belong to?
Descurainia californica is in the Brassicaceae family, genus Descurainia.
What habitat does Descurainia californica grow in?
Descurainia californica grows in Open sites, sagebrush scrub, aspen groves, open woodland.
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.