Streptanthus glandulosus subsp. glandulosus

most beautiful jewelflower

Streptanthus glandulosus subsp. glandulosus (most beautiful jewelflower), native California herb

(c) Ken-ichi Ueda, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Ken-ichi Ueda · licence

Family: Brassicaceae · Type: Herb · Native

Streptanthus glandulosus subsp. glandulosus (most beautiful jewelflower) is a native California herb in the Brassicaceae family, recognized by bristly stem and red-purple to maroon sepals diagnostic.

Most beautiful jewelflower is a California native annual found in southern North Coast Ranges, San Francisco Bay Area, and central and southern Coast Ranges in serpentine or metamorphic rocky habitats, chaparral openings, and steep woodlands at elevations of 150 to 1,400 meters. Flowering from April to July, this plant produces lavender to purple flowers with darker veined petals 8 to 17 millimeters long, set against striking red-purple to dark maroon sepals. Growing with slender stems 10 to 100 centimeters tall that are densely bristly near the base and less hairy towards the top, it develops an elegant, upright form. Its cauline leaves are sparsely bristly, with upper leaves often entire or minutely toothed, creating a delicate textural appearance. The fruit develops as an ascending to spreading silique that can be straight or slightly curved, reflecting the plant's graceful botanical architecture.

Identification and appearance

Key characters: 8 sympatric species - bristly stem and red-purple to maroon sepals diagnostic

Habitat and range

Habitat: Serpentine or metamorphic (Franciscan formation), rocky, generally barren slopes, chaparral openings, steep woodland

Elevation: 150-1400 m

California counties: Colusa, Mendocino, Santa Clara, Stanislaus, Contra Costa, San Luis Obispo, Alameda, Monterey, Napa, San Benito, Yolo, Lake, Solano, Sonoma, Siskiyou, Tehama, Marin, Santa Cruz, Merced, Glenn, San Joaquin, Inyo

Bloom period

Streptanthus glandulosus subsp. glandulosus blooms Apr-Jul.

How to tell it apart

vs Caulanthus: Seed pods are flattened like sword blades versus cylindrical tubes in Caulanthus.; vs Boechera: Robust plants often over 2.5 feet with large flowers (sepals 4-8mm) versus more delicate habit.; vs Claytonia: Mustard family with 4 petals and 6 stamens versus Claytonia with 5 petals.; vs Silene: Mustard family with seed pods versus Silene with inflated capsules and opposite leaves.; vs Lonicera: Herbaceous mustard with alternate leaves versus woody vine with opposite leaves.

Frequently asked questions

Is Streptanthus glandulosus subsp. glandulosus native to California?

Yes. Streptanthus glandulosus subsp. glandulosus is native to California (recorded as native).

When does Streptanthus glandulosus subsp. glandulosus bloom?

Streptanthus glandulosus subsp. glandulosus blooms Apr-Jul.

Where in California does Streptanthus glandulosus subsp. glandulosus grow?

Streptanthus glandulosus subsp. glandulosus occurs in Colusa, Mendocino, Santa Clara, Stanislaus, Contra Costa, San Luis Obispo, Alameda, Monterey and other counties, at elevations of 150-1400 m.

What plant family does Streptanthus glandulosus subsp. glandulosus belong to?

Streptanthus glandulosus subsp. glandulosus is in the Brassicaceae family, genus Streptanthus.

What habitat does Streptanthus glandulosus subsp. glandulosus grow in?

Streptanthus glandulosus subsp. glandulosus grows in Serpentine or metamorphic (Franciscan formation), rocky, generally barren slopes, chaparral openings, steep woodland.

Related species

Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.

All Streptanthus species · All Brassicaceae

Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos · CDFW CNDDB

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.