Thelypodium howellii subsp. howellii

Howell's thelypodium, Howell's Thelypodium

Family: Brassicaceae · Type: biennial · Native

Conservation status: CNPS 1B.2

Howell's thelypodium is a rare (CNPS 1B.2) California native biennial found in the Modoc Plateau in alkaline meadows, flats, and sagebrush scrub at elevations of 1,000 to 1,600 meters. Flowering from May to July, this plant produces lavender to purple flowers 5 to 8 millimeters long with narrow oblanceolate petals. Growing 1 to 9 decimeters tall with simple or branched stems that become glaucous, it features distinctive basal leaves that are lyre-shaped and wither by fruiting time. Its mid-stem leaves are sessile, sagittate, and clasping, with no hairs except on the petiole. The fruit is a cylindric pod 1.5 to 4.5 centimeters long, containing 22 to 40 plump seeds.

Habitat: Alkaline meadows, flats, sagebrush scrub

Bloom period: May-Jul

Elevation: 1000-1600 m

Bioregions: MP

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