Caulanthus amplexicaulis
Encyclopedia
Caulanthus amplexicaulis is a species of flowering plant in the mustard family
known by the common name claspingleaf wild cabbage. It is endemic to California
, where it grows on open slopes in the Transverse Ranges
and southern Central Coast Ranges. This annual herb produces a slender erect stem with flat, oval leaves clasping it toward the base. The bulbous purple flower forms a rounded pouch which opens at the top, the narrow petal tips reflexed back. The outer petal tips are deep purple, the inner much lighter to nearly white. The fruit is a very long silique
which may exceed 10 centimeters in length.
There are two varieties of this species. One variety, var. barbarae, the Santa Barbara jewelflower, is endemic to the serpentine soil
s of the San Rafael Mountains
in central Santa Barbara County
. The sepal
s forming the rounded pouch of the flower are white to cream in color as opposed to the bright purple of the more common variety.
Brassicaceae
Brassicaceae, a medium sized and economically important family of flowering plants , are informally known as the mustards, mustard flowers, the crucifers or the cabbage family....
known by the common name claspingleaf wild cabbage. It is endemic to California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, where it grows on open slopes in the Transverse Ranges
Transverse Ranges
The Transverse Ranges are a group of mountain ranges of southern California, in the Pacific Coast Ranges physiographic region that runs along the Pacific coast from Alaska to Mexico in North America. The Transverse Ranges begin at the southern end of the California Coast Ranges and lie between...
and southern Central Coast Ranges. This annual herb produces a slender erect stem with flat, oval leaves clasping it toward the base. The bulbous purple flower forms a rounded pouch which opens at the top, the narrow petal tips reflexed back. The outer petal tips are deep purple, the inner much lighter to nearly white. The fruit is a very long silique
Silique
A silique or siliqua is a fruit of 2 fused carpels with the length being more than three times the width. The outer walls of the ovary usually separate when ripe, leaving a persistent partition...
which may exceed 10 centimeters in length.
There are two varieties of this species. One variety, var. barbarae, the Santa Barbara jewelflower, is endemic to the serpentine soil
Serpentine soil
A serpentine soil is derived from ultramafic rocks, in particular serpentinite, a rock formed by the hydration and metamorphic transformation of ultramafic rock from the Earth's mantle....
s of the San Rafael Mountains
San Rafael Mountains
The San Rafael Mountains are a mountain range in central Santa Barbara County, California, U.S.. They are part of the Transverse Ranges system of Southern California which in turn are part of the Pacific Coast Ranges system of western North America....
in central Santa Barbara County
Santa Barbara County, California
Santa Barbara County is a county located in the southern portion of the U.S. state of California, on the Pacific coast. As of 2010 the county had a population of 423,895. The county seat is Santa Barbara and the largest city is Santa Maria.-History:...
. The sepal
Sepal
A sepal is a part of the flower of angiosperms . Collectively the sepals form the calyx, which is the outermost whorl of parts that form a flower. Usually green, sepals have the typical function of protecting the petals when the flower is in bud...
s forming the rounded pouch of the flower are white to cream in color as opposed to the bright purple of the more common variety.