Streptanthus polygaloides subsp. purpureus

Purple milkwort jewelflower

Family: Brassicaceae · Type: annual · Native

Purple milkwort jewelflower is a California native annual found in serpentine barrens and grasslands within ponderosa pine forests of the California Floristic Province at elevations of 760 to 1,460 meters. Flowering from May to July, this plant produces deep purple flowers with pale-margined sepals and distinctive petal claws that widen toward the tip. Growing with delicate stems characteristic of the jewelflower genus, it forms a slender annual herb reaching 10 to 30 centimeters tall. Its leaves are arranged alternately along the stem, with lower leaves typically broader and more rounded than the upper, lance-shaped foliage. The flowers feature uniquely structured stamens, with adaxial filaments fused from base to tip, creating an intricate botanical display against the serpentine landscape.

Habitat: Serpentine barrens and grassland, in ponderosa pine forest

Bloom period: May-Jul

Elevation: 762-1460 m

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