Caulanthus heterophyllus
Encyclopedia
Caulanthus heterophyllus is a species of flowering plant in the mustard family
known by the common names San Diego wild cabbage and San Diego jewelflower. This annual wildflower is native to the coast ranges of southern California and Baja California. It is a member of the chaparral
plant community and is common in areas recovering from wildfire
.
of one to several flowers. Each flower is showy, with a magenta to purple hollow urn-shaped body and a mouth surrounded by contrasting white petals which curl outward. The fruit is a silique
several centimeters long containing winged seeds.
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 names San Diego wild cabbage and San Diego jewelflower. This annual wildflower is native to the coast ranges of southern California and Baja California. It is a member of the chaparral
Chaparral
Chaparral is a shrubland or heathland plant community found primarily in the U.S. state of California and in the northern portion of the Baja California peninsula, Mexico...
plant community and is common in areas recovering from wildfire
Wildfire
A wildfire is any uncontrolled fire in combustible vegetation that occurs in the countryside or a wilderness area. Other names such as brush fire, bushfire, forest fire, desert fire, grass fire, hill fire, squirrel fire, vegetation fire, veldfire, and wilkjjofire may be used to describe the same...
.
Description
This plant has a smooth, erect stem which may be thin or quite stout. The stem produces long, pointed leaves at intervals, and toward the top of the stem produces flowers at similar intervals. The point of the stem is occupied by an inflorescenceInflorescence
An inflorescence is a group or cluster of flowers arranged on a stem that is composed of a main branch or a complicated arrangement of branches. Strictly, it is the part of the shoot of seed plants where flowers are formed and which is accordingly modified...
of one to several flowers. Each flower is showy, with a magenta to purple hollow urn-shaped body and a mouth surrounded by contrasting white petals which curl outward. The fruit is a 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...
several centimeters long containing winged seeds.