Dithyrea maritima

Beach spectaclepod, Beach Spectaclepod

Family: Brassicaceae · Type: perennial · Native

Conservation status: CNPS 1B.1

Beach spectaclepod is a rare (CNPS 1B.1) California native perennial found in southern Central Coast, southern Coast Ranges, and Channel Islands in coastal seashores and sand dunes at elevations below 50 meters. Flowering from March to August, this plant produces white to light purple flowers with petals 1.2 to 1.5 centimeters long. Growing with decumbent stems 10 to 21 centimeters tall, it spreads several to many stems from its base and develops a rhizomed habit. Its basal leaves are widely ovate to oblanceolate, ranging from 2 to 11 centimeters long with wavy or dentate edges, while distal leaves are shorter and either sessile or short-petioled. The plant's distinctive fruits contain two seeds, each 3 to 4 millimeters long and oblong in shape.

Habitat: Seashores, coastal sand dunes

Bloom period: Mar-Aug

Elevation: < 50 m

Bioregions: s CCo, SCo, ChI

California counties: Los Angeles, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Ventura, Riverside

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