Streptanthus vernalis

Early jewelflower

Family: Brassicaceae · Type: annual · Native

Conservation status: CNPS 1B.2

Early jewelflower is a rare (CNPS 1B.2) California native annual found in the northern Coast Ranges in serpentine talus and gravel habitats at elevations of 600 to 900 meters. Flowering from March to May, this plant produces white flowers 6.5 to 8 millimeters long with delicate petals. Growing with erect stems 2 to 20 centimeters tall that are simple or branched near the top, it has an elegant slender structure. Its leaves range from broadly obovate basal leaves that are coarsely toothed and fleshy to smaller sessile mid-stem leaves that are ovate to oblong with lobed bases. The fruit develops as a long, narrow pod 3 to 5 centimeters in length, holding 16 to 20 small seeds.

Habitat: Serpentine talus, gravel

Bloom period: Mar-May

Elevation: +- 600-900 m.

Bioregions: NCoRI (Three Peaks, Lake Co.).

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