Rorippa palustris subsp. palustris
Photo: parent species Rorippa palustris · (c) Нурхайдарова Татьяна, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Brassicaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Rorippa palustris subsp. palustris is a native California herb in the Brassicaceae family.
Marsh yellow-cress is a California native perennial found in wet places throughout California at elevations below 3,200 meters. Flowering from March to September, this plant produces small yellow flowers in clusters with distinctive open petals. Growing with slender green stems 10 to 40 centimeters tall that are glabrous or sparsely hairy near the base, it spreads in moist habitats. Its leaves are glabrous on the undersides, typically pinnately divided with variable lobing and shape. The fruit develops as slender, elongated pods typical of the mustard family.
Habitat and range
Habitat: Generally wet places
Elevation: < 3200 m
California counties: San Luis Obispo, San Diego, Sutter, Los Angeles, Placer, Marin, Kern, Lassen, Contra Costa, Riverside, Santa Cruz, Inyo, Mendocino, San Mateo, Ventura, Santa Barbara, Monterey, Tulare, Napa, Merced, Stanislaus, Fresno, Sacramento, San Joaquin
Outside California: North America
Bloom period
Rorippa palustris subsp. palustris blooms Mar-Sep.
How to tell it apart
vs Barbarea: Rorippa stems stay round and smooth; Barbarea stems develop distinct ridges or angles you can feel.; vs Sisymbrium: Rorippa has a simple rounded stigma tip; Sisymbrium's stigma is clearly two-lobed.; vs Nasturtium: Rorippa pods are short and plump; Nasturtium pods are elongated and curved like tiny bananas.; vs Hirschfeldia: Rorippa grows in wet areas with rounded pods; Hirschfeldia prefers dry disturbed sites with beaked pods.; vs Cystopteris: Rorippa has yellow four-petaled flowers and seed pods; Cystopteris is a fern with no flowers.
Frequently asked questions
Is Rorippa palustris subsp. palustris native to California?
Yes. Rorippa palustris subsp. palustris is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Rorippa palustris subsp. palustris bloom?
Rorippa palustris subsp. palustris blooms Mar-Sep.
Where in California does Rorippa palustris subsp. palustris grow?
Rorippa palustris subsp. palustris occurs in San Luis Obispo, San Diego, Sutter, Los Angeles, Placer, Marin, Kern, Lassen and other counties, at elevations of < 3200 m.
What plant family does Rorippa palustris subsp. palustris belong to?
Rorippa palustris subsp. palustris is in the Brassicaceae family, genus Rorippa.
What habitat does Rorippa palustris subsp. palustris grow in?
Rorippa palustris subsp. palustris grows in Generally wet places.
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.