Streptanthus tortuosus var. orbiculatus
High mountain jewelflower
(c) Don Loarie, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Don Loarie · licence
Family: Brassicaceae · Type: Subshrub · Native
Streptanthus tortuosus var. orbiculatus (High mountain jewelflower) is a native California subshrub in the Brassicaceae family, recognized by annual habit vs perennial relatives.
High mountain jewelflower is a California native annual found in the Sierra Nevada Mountains and neighboring ranges on rock outcrops and open areas in montane and subalpine forests at elevations of 365 to 3,500 meters. Flowering from June to September, this plant produces distinctive purple and yellow flowers with white-tipped petals 5 to 7 millimeters long, often with intricate purple veining. Growing with much-branched stems 10 to 30 centimeters tall, it develops a delicate, spread-out form that often appears glaucous and can develop reddish tints with age. Its leaves are often glaucous on the underside, with a subtle reddish tinge that becomes more pronounced as the plant matures. The fruit develops as a spreading, slightly arched pod 3 to 10 centimeters long, carrying 13 to 63 small seeds.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 42 sympatric species; key feature is annual habit vs perennial relatives
Habitat and range
Habitat: rock outcrops, open areas in montane and subalpine forests
Elevation: 365-3500 m
Outside California: southwestern Oregon
Bloom period
Streptanthus tortuosus var. orbiculatus blooms Jun-Sep.
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 tortuosus var. orbiculatus native to California?
Yes. Streptanthus tortuosus var. orbiculatus is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Streptanthus tortuosus var. orbiculatus bloom?
Streptanthus tortuosus var. orbiculatus blooms Jun-Sep.
What plant family does Streptanthus tortuosus var. orbiculatus belong to?
Streptanthus tortuosus var. orbiculatus is in the Brassicaceae family, genus Streptanthus.
What habitat does Streptanthus tortuosus var. orbiculatus grow in?
Streptanthus tortuosus var. orbiculatus grows in rock outcrops, open areas in montane and subalpine forests.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
- Streptanthus tortuosus var. pallidus — Pallid jewelflower
- Streptanthus tortuosus var. tortuosus — Mountain jewelflower
- Streptanthus vernalis — Early jewelflower
- Streptanthus vimineus — Slender jewelflower
- Streptanthus albidus ssp. peramoenus — most beautiful jewelflower
- Streptanthus anomalus — Mount burdell jewelflower
Sources: Jepson eFlora · CalPhotos
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.