Thelypodium crispum
Crisped thelypody
(c) Matt Berger, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Brassicaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Thelypodium crispum (Crisped thelypody) is a native California herb in the Brassicaceae family, recognized by appressed pedicels and high seed count.
Crisped thelypody is a California native biennial found in the Sierra Nevada and Great Basin in alkaline or sandy soils, lake margins, and scrub at elevations of 1,200 to 3,000 meters. Flowering from June to August, this plant produces white to pale lavender flowers 6 to 11 millimeters long, delicately crinkled and linear in dense inflorescences. Growing 1 to 7 decimeters tall with glaucous stems that are hairless or minimally hairy toward the base, it develops distinctive leaves with basal blades that are dentate or pinnately lobed and mid-cauline leaves with lobed or sagittate bases. Its basal leaves are typically 2 to 15 centimeters long and wither by fruit time, with ciliate petioles. The plant produces cylindric fruits 1 to 2.5 centimeters long with 22 to 50 plump seeds, each about 1 to 1.5 millimeters in size.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 7 sympatric species; diagnostic appressed pedicels and high seed count
Habitat and range
Habitat: Alkaline or sandy soils, lake margins, scrub
Elevation: 1200-3000 m
California counties: Inyo, Lassen, Mono, Sierra, Plumas, Alpine, Placer
Outside California: Nevada
Bloom period
Thelypodium crispum blooms Jun-Aug.
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 crispum native to California?
Yes. Thelypodium crispum is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Thelypodium crispum bloom?
Thelypodium crispum blooms Jun-Aug.
Where in California does Thelypodium crispum grow?
Thelypodium crispum occurs in Inyo, Lassen, Mono, Sierra, Plumas, Alpine, Placer, at elevations of 1200-3000 m.
What plant family does Thelypodium crispum belong to?
Thelypodium crispum is in the Brassicaceae family, genus Thelypodium.
What habitat does Thelypodium crispum grow in?
Thelypodium crispum grows in Alkaline or sandy soils, lake margins, scrub.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
- Thelypodium flexuosum — Nodding thelypodium
- Thelypodium howellii subsp. howellii — Howell's thelypodium
- Thelypodium integrifolium — Entire leaved thelypodium
- Thelypodium integrifolium subsp. affine
- Thelypodium integrifolium subsp. complanatum — Foxtail thelypodium
- Thelypodium laciniatum — Cutleaf thelypody
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · 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.