Rorippa austriaca

Austrian field-cress

Family: Brassicaceae · Type: perennial · Not Native

Austrian field-cress is a naturalized perennial herb found in the Modoc Plateau in disturbed areas, mud flats, river banks, and wet grasslands at elevations of 1,000 to 1,900 meters. Flowering from May to July, this plant produces small white flowers about 3 to 5 millimeters long with obovate petals. Growing with stems 4 to 11 decimeters tall, it develops many branches toward the upper portion and can be glabrous or slightly hairy near the base. Its leaves are pinnately lobed, with middle to upper stem leaves ranging 4 to 12 centimeters long, lanceolate in shape, and either entire or slightly serrate with bases that clasp the stem. The plant spreads via short, thickened rhizomes and rarely produces fruit, which when present are small, nearly spherical silicles about 2.5 to 3 millimeters wide.

Habitat: Disturbed areas, mud flats, river banks, wet grassland

Bloom period: May-Jul

Elevation: 1000-1900 m

Bioregions: MP

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