Streptanthus cordatus var. cordatus

Heartleaf jewelflower

Family: Brassicaceae · Type: perennial · Native

Heartleaf jewelflower is a California native perennial found in eastern California Ranges, Great Basin, and eastern Desert Mountains in rocky sagebrush scrub, pinyon and juniper woodland, and talus areas at elevations of 1,200 to 3,100 meters. Flowering from April to July, this plant produces white to purple flowers with distinctive heart-shaped leaves. Growing with erect stems up to 50 centimeters tall, it develops a robust structure with basal and cauline leaves of varying shapes. Its leaves range from obovate and spoon-shaped at the base to broadly oblong or nearly round on the stem, with obtuse to rounded tips. The fruits are narrow, ranging from 2.5 to 6 millimeters wide, with a stigma that can be entire or prominently two-lobed.

Habitat: Common. Rocky, sandy sagebrush scrub, pinyon/juniper woodland, talus, calcareous outcrops

Bloom period: Apr-Jul

Elevation: 1200-3100 m

Bioregions: e CaRH, GB, e DMtns

California counties: Inyo, Mono, Tulare, Kern, San Bernardino, Modoc, Alpine, Butte, Plumas, San Diego, Lassen, Sierra

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