Streptanthus callistus

Mount hamilton jewelflower, Mount Hamilton Jewelflower

Family: Brassicaceae · Type: annual · Native

Conservation status: CNPS 1B.2

Mount hamilton jewelflower is a rare (CNPS 1B.2) California native annual found in southeastern San Francisco Bay bioregion in the Mount Hamilton Range in open chaparral and gravelly sedimentary scree at elevations of 500 to 900 meters. Flowering from April to May, this plant produces purple flowers with darker purple veins approximately 8 to 11 millimeters long. Growing with bristly hairy stems 2 to 9 centimeters tall, it has a simple or branched form. Its basal leaves are oblong to obovate with dentate edges, while mid-cauline leaves are broadly ovate, sessile, and clasping at the base, with bristly surfaces. The fruit is spreading, curved upwards, 1.3 to 2.5 centimeters long with stiff-hairy valves.

Habitat: Open chaparral, gravelly sedimentary scree

Bloom period: Apr-May

Elevation: 500-900 m

Bioregions: se SnFrB (Arroyo Bayo, Mount Hamilton Range).

California counties: Santa Clara

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