Physaria tenella
Little bladderpod
(c) Rachel Stringham, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Brassicaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Physaria tenella (Little bladderpod) is a native California herb in the Brassicaceae family, recognized by annual habit vs. perennial companions.
Little bladderpod is a California native annual found in the Mojave Desert bioregion in gravelly washes and loose rocky slopes at elevations of 600 to 2,250 meters. Flowering from February to April, this plant produces yellow to orange flowers 6.5 to 8 millimeters long that are round to obovate in shape. Growing 15 to 60 centimeters tall with several decumbent to erect stems that are many-branched and densely hairy. Its leaves range from elliptic basal leaves 3 to 6.5 centimeters long to linear or obovate cauline leaves 1 to 3.5 centimeters long, with entire to wavy margins. The fruit is a spheric to obovoid pod 4 to 6 millimeters long, sparsely hairy on the outside and densely hairy inside.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 4 sympatric species; annual habit vs. perennial companions is diagnostic
Habitat and range
Habitat: Gravel, sandy ground, washes, loose rocky slopes
Elevation: (0)600-2250 m
California counties: San Bernardino, Riverside, Imperial
Outside California: to Utah, northwestern Mexico
Bloom period
Physaria tenella blooms Feb-Apr.
How to tell it apart
vs Cleomella: Physaria has 4 petals and inflated pods; Cleomella has 4 petals with long stamens extending far beyond and narrow capsules.; vs Draba: Physaria has consistently silvery webbed star-hairs; Draba has mixed simple and branched hairs creating a rougher texture.; vs Astragalus: Physaria has 4 petals and round cross-shaped flowers; Astragalus has pea-like flowers with banner, wings, and keel.; vs Erysimum: Physaria has inflated bladder fruits and silvery foliage; Erysimum has narrow cylindrical pods and green linear leaves.; vs Eriogonum: Physaria has 4-petaled flowers with visible stamens; Eriogonum has tiny flowers in ball-like clusters with papery bracts below.
Frequently asked questions
Is Physaria tenella native to California?
Yes. Physaria tenella is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Physaria tenella bloom?
Physaria tenella blooms Feb-Apr.
Where in California does Physaria tenella grow?
Physaria tenella occurs in San Bernardino, Riverside, Imperial, at elevations of (0)600-2250 m.
What plant family does Physaria tenella belong to?
Physaria tenella is in the Brassicaceae family, genus Physaria.
What habitat does Physaria tenella grow in?
Physaria tenella grows in Gravel, sandy ground, washes, loose rocky slopes.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
- Physaria chambersii — Chambers' physaria
- Physaria cordiformis
- Physaria kingii — King's bladderpod
- Physaria kingii subsp. bernardina — San bernardino mountains bladderpod
- Physaria kingii subsp. kingii
- Physaria kingii subsp. latifolia
- Planodes sp.
- Planodes virginica
- Polyctenium fremontii — Desert combleaf
- Polyctenium fremontii var. fremontii — Fremont's combleaf
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.