Thysanocarpus laciniatus
Common lace pod
Photo by Chez Brungraber
Family: Brassicaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Thysanocarpus laciniatus (Common lace pod) is a native California herb in the Brassicaceae family, recognized by glaucous appearance and non-clasping cauline leaf bases.
Common lace pod is a California native annual found in the North Coast Ranges, southern Sierra Nevada Foothills, Tehachapi, Sutter Buttes, San Francisco Bay Area, southern Coast Ranges, southwestern California, southern Sierra Nevada, and desert regions in oak woodland, rocky ridges, slopes, chaparral, and washes at elevations of 100 to 1,800 meters. Flowering from March to May, this delicate plant produces small flowers with purple fertile anthers, occasionally featuring whitish or yellowish infertile anthers. Growing 10 to 60 centimeters tall with an unbranched stem that is generally glaucous and glabrous, it has distinctive basal leaves that are oblanceolate to elliptic, ranging from 2 to 6 centimeters long and varying from nearly entire to wavy-dentate or pinnately lobed. Its cauline leaves are linear to narrowly elliptic with wedge-shaped bases, sometimes subtly lobed. The fruit is a distinctive lace-like pod 3 to 5 millimeters wide, with a flat or slightly incurved wing and occasional club-shaped hairs.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 7 sympatric species; distinguished by glaucous appearance and non-clasping cauline leaf bases
Habitat and range
Habitat: Oak woodland, rocky ridges, slopes, chaparral, washes
Elevation: 100-1800 m
California counties: San Luis Obispo, Monterey, San Diego, Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Inyo, Kern, Orange, Riverside, San Benito, Santa Barbara, Santa Clara, Ventura, Contra Costa, Santa Cruz, Yolo, Solano, Alameda, Tulare, Sutter, Napa, Tehama, Stanislaus, Sonoma, Lake, Marin, Mendocino, Merced, Glenn, Fresno, Colusa, Shasta, El Dorado, San Francisco, Madera
Outside California: western Arizona, Baja California
Bloom period
Thysanocarpus laciniatus blooms Mar-May.
How to tell it apart
vs Lepidium: Fruits hang downward like lanterns versus standing upright in Lepidium.; vs Athysanus: Fruits have distinctive papery wings with radiating veins versus wingless tiny fruits.; vs Capsella: Fruits are round with lacy wings versus triangular heart-shaped pods.; vs Briza: Mustard with flat winged fruits versus grass with dangling spikelets.; vs Eriogonum: Annual mustard with winged hanging fruits versus buckwheat with ball-like flower clusters.
Frequently asked questions
Is Thysanocarpus laciniatus native to California?
Yes. Thysanocarpus laciniatus is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Thysanocarpus laciniatus bloom?
Thysanocarpus laciniatus blooms Mar-May.
Where in California does Thysanocarpus laciniatus grow?
Thysanocarpus laciniatus occurs in San Luis Obispo, Monterey, San Diego, Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Inyo, Kern, Orange and other counties, at elevations of 100-1800 m.
What plant family does Thysanocarpus laciniatus belong to?
Thysanocarpus laciniatus is in the Brassicaceae family, genus Thysanocarpus.
What habitat does Thysanocarpus laciniatus grow in?
Thysanocarpus laciniatus grows in Oak woodland, rocky ridges, slopes, chaparral, washes.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
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.