Descurainia longipedicellata
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Family: Brassicaceae · Type: Annual · Native
Descurainia longipedicellata is a native California annual in the Brassicaceae family, recognized by very short pedicels and compact fruiting clusters diagnostic.
Descurainia longipedicellata is a California native annual herb found in the California Range and Great Basin in shale soils below cliffs, dry washes, grassland, sagebrush scrub, and pinyon/juniper woodland at elevations of 750 to 2,500 meters. Flowering from April to July, this plant produces yellow flowers with sepals 1.5 to 2 millimeters long and petals 1.7 to 2.6 millimeters long. Growing 3 to 6.2 meters tall with erect stems that are simple or branched throughout, it has a sparse to moderate hairy texture and green coloration. Its leaves are pinnately divided, with basal and lower cauline leaves 1.5 to 7 centimeters long, ovate to oblanceolate in outline, and ultimate leaf divisions ranging from linear to oblong. The fruits are linear, ascending to erect, 1.2 to 1.7 millimeters long, containing 18 to 32 oblong seeds in a single row.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 9 sympatric species; very short pedicels and compact fruiting clusters diagnostic
Habitat and range
Habitat: Shale soils below cliffs, dry washes, grassland, sagebrush scrub, pinyon/juniper woodland
Elevation: 750-2500 m
Outside California: to British Columbia, Colorado, Arizona
Bloom period
Descurainia longipedicellata blooms Apr-Jul.
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 longipedicellata native to California?
Yes. Descurainia longipedicellata is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Descurainia longipedicellata bloom?
Descurainia longipedicellata blooms Apr-Jul.
What plant family does Descurainia longipedicellata belong to?
Descurainia longipedicellata is in the Brassicaceae family, genus Descurainia.
What habitat does Descurainia longipedicellata grow in?
Descurainia longipedicellata grows in Shale soils below cliffs, dry washes, grassland, sagebrush scrub, pinyon/juniper woodland.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-09-30
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.