Thelypodium brachycarpum
Short-podded thelypodium
(c) Matt Berger, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Brassicaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Conservation status: CNPS 4.2
Thelypodium brachycarpum (Short-podded thelypodium) is a native California herb in the Brassicaceae family, recognized by short fruits and narrow petals.
Short-podded thelypodium is a rare (CNPS 4.2) California native biennial found in the Klamath Ranges, northern California Coast Ranges, Cascade Range, and Great Basin in alkaline soils, adobe flats, and pond margins at elevations of 800 to 2,320 meters. Flowering from April to August, this plant produces white, crinkled flowers 8 to 12 millimeters long that are linear to narrowly oblanceolate in dense inflorescences. Growing with branched stems 30 to 80 centimeters tall that are generally glaucous and have minimal hair near the base, it develops distinctively shaped leaves. Its basal leaves are 3 to 14 centimeters long, pinnately lobed or nearly entire, with ciliate petioles, while mid-stem leaves are sessile and sagittate. The elongated fruit is cylindric, 1.2 to 2.7 centimeters long, containing 12 to 26 plump seeds.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 7 sympatric species; diagnostic short fruits and narrow petals
Habitat and range
Habitat: Alkaline soils, adobe flats, pond margins
Elevation: 800-2320 m
California counties: Siskiyou, Mono, Humboldt, Shasta, Trinity, Colusa, Napa, Inyo, Sierra, Sonoma
Outside California: southern Oregon
Bloom period
Thelypodium brachycarpum blooms Apr-Aug.
Conservation status
CNPS 4.2
How to tell it apart
vs Stanleya: Flower stalks barely visible versus quarter-inch-plus dramatic stalks in Stanleya.; vs Caulanthus: Seed pods sit on distinct stalks above flower base versus sitting directly on base.; vs Brassica: Purple to white flowers with stalked pods versus yellow flowers in Brassica.; vs Boechera: Robust plants with relatively large flowers (6-16mm) versus delicate plants with smaller flowers.; vs Noccaea: Tall stems with purple-white flowers versus low rosette plants with tiny white flowers.
Frequently asked questions
Is Thelypodium brachycarpum native to California?
Yes. Thelypodium brachycarpum is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Thelypodium brachycarpum bloom?
Thelypodium brachycarpum blooms Apr-Aug.
Where in California does Thelypodium brachycarpum grow?
Thelypodium brachycarpum occurs in Siskiyou, Mono, Humboldt, Shasta, Trinity, Colusa, Napa, Inyo and other counties, at elevations of 800-2320 m.
What plant family does Thelypodium brachycarpum belong to?
Thelypodium brachycarpum is in the Brassicaceae family, genus Thelypodium.
Is Thelypodium brachycarpum rare or endangered?
Thelypodium brachycarpum carries California Rare Plant Rank 4.2, state rank S3.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · CNPS Rare Plant Inventory · 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.