Streptanthus barbatus
Encyclopedia
Streptanthus barbatus is a species of flowering plant in the mustard family
known by the common name Pacific jewelflower. It is endemic to the southern Klamath Mountains
of far northern California
, where it occurs in open wooded habitat among Jeffrey Pine
s, generally on serpentine soil
s. It is a perennial herb producing a decumbent or erect, sometimes branching stem up to 70 to 90 centimeters long. It is hairless except for some light hairs on the flowers and the bases of the leaves. The largest leaves are at the base of the plant. They are oval with faintly toothed, bristly edges, no more than 3 centimeters long, and borne on short petioles
. Leaves above these are oval to rounded and may clasp the stem. Flowers occur at intervals along the upper stem. Each has a spherical to urn-shaped calyx of keeled sepal
s under a centimeter long with curving petals barely emerging from the tip. The calyx of sepals is whitish, darkening purple in maturity. The petals are purple. The fruit is a long, flat, curving silique
which may be 7 centimeters in length.
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 Pacific jewelflower. It is endemic to the southern Klamath Mountains
Klamath Mountains
The Klamath Mountains, which include the Siskiyou, Marble, Scott, Trinity, Trinity Alps, Salmon, and northern Yolla-Bolly Mountains, are a rugged lightly populated mountain range in northwest California and southwest Oregon in the United States...
of far northern 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 occurs in open wooded habitat among Jeffrey Pine
Jeffrey Pine
The Jeffrey Pine, Pinus jeffreyi, named in honor of its botanist documenter John Jeffrey, is a North American pine related to Ponderosa Pine.-Distribution and habitat:...
s, generally on 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. It is a perennial herb producing a decumbent or erect, sometimes branching stem up to 70 to 90 centimeters long. It is hairless except for some light hairs on the flowers and the bases of the leaves. The largest leaves are at the base of the plant. They are oval with faintly toothed, bristly edges, no more than 3 centimeters long, and borne on short petioles
Petiole (botany)
In botany, the petiole is the stalk attaching the leaf blade to the stem. The petiole usually has the same internal structure as the stem. Outgrowths appearing on each side of the petiole are called stipules. Leaves lacking a petiole are called sessile, or clasping when they partly surround the...
. Leaves above these are oval to rounded and may clasp the stem. Flowers occur at intervals along the upper stem. Each has a spherical to urn-shaped calyx of keeled 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 under a centimeter long with curving petals barely emerging from the tip. The calyx of sepals is whitish, darkening purple in maturity. The petals are purple. The fruit is a long, flat, curving 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 be 7 centimeters in length.