Streptanthus glandulosus subsp. arkii

Kruckeberg's bristly jewelflower

Family: Brassicaceae · Type: annual · Native

Kruckeberg's bristly jewelflower is a California native annual found in coastal and central western California grasslands, outcrops, and roadcuts on serpentine or metamorphic substrates at elevations of 140 to 690 meters. Flowering from March to June, this plant produces striking dark maroon to purple-black flowers with white-margined upper petals, creating a dramatic contrast of deep and pale colors. Growing 20 to 70 centimeters tall with sparsely stiff-hairy stems, it develops an upright and slightly branching form. Its mid-stem leaves are oblanceolate, flat to slightly folded lengthwise, with distinct dentate edges measuring less than five times longer than their width. The distinctive purple and white petals, combined with its serpentine habitat preference, make this jewelflower a remarkable example of California's unique botanical diversity.

Habitat: Grasslands, outcrops, roadcuts, on serpentine or other metamorphic substrates

Bloom period: Mar-Jun

Elevation: 140-690 m

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