Caulanthus | |
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Caulanthus inflatus | |
Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Eudicots |
Clade: | Rosids |
Order: | Brassicales |
Family: | Brassicaceae |
Genus: | Caulanthus S.Wats. |
Species | |
~14 - See text |
Caulanthus is a genus of plants in the family Brassicaceae. Plants of this genus may be known as jewelflowers. They are also often referred to as wild cabbage, although this common name usually refers to wild variants of Brassica oleracea, the cabbage plant. Jewelflowers are native to the southwestern United States and northern Mexico, where they are often found in warm, arid regions. Many species have an enlarged, erect stem rising from a basal rosette of leaves. Flowers arise directly from the surface of the stem; many species have colorful, bell-shaped flowers. The best-known of the fourteen species is probably the desert candle.
Selected species:
Caulanthus inflatus, the desert candle, also referred to as squaw cabbage, is a flowering plant in the family Brassicaceae, native to the Mojave Desert of California and Nevada, and the southern Sierra Nevada and Transverse Ranges in the United States. It is found at elevations between 150–1,500 metres (490–4,920 ft).
Streptanthus glandulosus subsp. niger is an endangered subspecies of flowering plant within the family Brassicaceae. Like other genus members, this herb has wavy petal margins with perimeter calluses that discourage larval herbivory. This plant is endemic to the Tiburon Peninsula of Northern California, and occurs at elevations below 150 m on serpentine grasslands. The common name for this subspecies is Tiburon jewelflower or black jewelflower. This annual herb blooms in May and June and displays dark purple sepals. The etymology of this genus scientific name derives from the Greek word streptanthus, meaning twisted flower, with reference to the notable wavy margins of the petals. The subspecies name niger relates to the color of the seeds being black, although an alternate account cites the dark color of the petals as the source of the appellation.
Caulanthus heterophyllus is a species of flowering plant in the family Brassicaceae known by the common names San Diego wild cabbage and San Diego jewelflower.
Streptanthus lasiophyllus, many synonyms including Guillenia lasiophylla, is a species of mustard plant known by the common names California mustard and slenderpod jewelflower. It is native to western North America from British Columbia to northern Mexico. It can be found in a variety of habitats such as desert flats, gravelly areas, limestone rocks, talus slopes, sandy banks, and grassy fields. This is a thin-stemmed erect annual herb with long lobed, toothed leaves surrounding the base of the plant and smaller leaves lining the stem. The top of the plant is occupied by an inflorescence of flowers, each with widely spaced oval-shaped white or yellowish petals half a centimeter long. The fruit is a flat, narrow silique up to 7 centimeters long which hangs downward from the stem. Flowers bloom March to June.
Caulanthus cooperi is a species of flowering plant in the family Brassicaceae known by the common name Cooper's wild cabbage. It is native to the southwestern United States and Baja California, where it is a common plant in a number of open, sandy habitats. This annual herb produces a slender, somewhat twisted stem with widely lance-shaped to oblong leaves clasping it. The flower has a rounded or urn-shaped coat of pinkish or pale greenish sepals enclosing light yellow or pale purple petals. The fruit is a straight or curving silique several centimeters long.
Caulanthus glaucus is a species of flowering plant in the family Brassicaceae known by the common names glaucous wild cabbage, bigleaf wildcabbage, and limestone jewelflower.
Caulanthus simulans is a species of flowering plant in the family Brassicaceae known by the common names Payson's wild cabbage and Payson's jewelflower. It is endemic to southern California, where it is known mainly from open, dry habitat in the hills and deserts of Riverside and San Diego Counties. It is a bristly annual herb with deeply cut leaves, the longest arranged in cluster around the base of the stem. The flower is covered in thick, purple-tinted greenish sepals which split to reveal narrow, pale yellow petals at the tip. The fruit is a silique up to 8 centimeters long.
Streptanthus hispidus, the Mt. Diablo jewelflower, is a rare species of flowering plant in the mustard family.
Streptanthus barbiger is a species of flowering plant in the mustard family known by the common name bearded jewelflower. It is endemic to California, where it is limited to the North Coast Ranges. It grows in woodlands and chaparral habitat, often on serpentine soils. It is an annual herb producing a branching stem up to about 80 centimeters in maximum height. Leaves near the base of the stem are lance-shaped to oval and pointed, usually with toothed edges, the blades measuring up to 7 centimeters long. Leaves higher on the stem may be longer but are narrower and have smooth edges. Flowers occur at intervals along the upper stem. Each has a spherical to urn-shaped calyx of greenish yellow or purple sepals under a centimeter long. Whitish or purple-tinged petals up to a centimeter long emerge from the tip. The fruit is a long, flat, curving silique which may be 7 centimeters in length.
Streptanthus diversifolius is a species of flowering plant in the mustard family known by the common name variableleaf jewelflower, or varied-leaved jewelflower. It is endemic to California, where it is limited to the Sierra Nevada foothills. It is a resident of woodlands and other foothill habitat. It is an annual herb producing a hairless, waxy stem up to a meter tall. The basal leaves are variable in shape and are often divided into narrow, threadlike segments. Leaves higher on the stem are also variable, having round to lance-shaped blades which clasp the stem at their bases. Flowers occur at intervals along the upper stem, with one or two leaflike bracts at the base of the raceme. Each flower has an urn-shaped calyx of keeled sepals about half a centimeter long and white, yellowish, or purple in color, sometimes with white edging. White, purple-veined petals emerge from the tip. The fruit is a thin, flat, curving silique which may be 8 or 9 centimeters in length.
Streptanthus fenestratus is an uncommon species of flowering plant in the mustard family known by the common name Tehipite Valley jewelflower.
Streptanthus glandulosus is a species of flowering plant in the mustard family known by the common name bristly jewelflower. It is native to California and southwestern Oregon, where it grows in many types of habitat, including grassland, chaparral, and woodlands. Genetic and other analyses indicate that it is a species complex with ten subspecies which evolved as populations were isolated from each other. The complex includes subspecies previously considered separate species, such as the rare Tiburon jewelflower endemic to the San Francisco Bay Area. Plants in the complex are variable. In general they are annual herbs growing 10 centimeters to over a meter in height. They may be hairless hairy to bristly. The ephemeral basal leaves have blades borne on winged petioles. Leaves higher on the stem are linear to lance-shaped and clasp the stem at their bases. Flowers occur at intervals along the upper stem. Each flower has an urn-shaped calyx of sepals one-half to over one centimeter long which can be almost any color from white to yellowish to pink or purple to nearly black. Purple, white, or purple-veined white petals emerge from the tip. The fruit is a straight or curving silique up to 11 centimeters long.
Streptanthus gracilis is an uncommon species of flowering plant in the mustard family known by the common name alpine jewelflower.
Streptanthus howellii is an uncommon species of flowering plant in the mustard family known by the common name Howell's jewelflower.
Streptanthus insignis is an uncommon species of flowering plant in the mustard family known by the common names plumed jewelflower and San Benito jewelflower. It is endemic to California, where it is known only from the Inner Central Coast Ranges. It grows in grassland and chaparral habitat, usually on serpentine soils. It is an annual herb producing a hairy, bristly, branching stem up to about 60 centimeters long. The lance-shaped basal leaves are borne on short petioles. Leaves midway up the stem are longer, and those near the top are shorter. They sometimes clasp the stem at their bases. Flowers occur at intervals along the upper stem. The uppermost flowers are often sterile and different in form. Each fertile flower has a bell-shaped calyx of sepals which is purple or greenish-yellow depending on subspecies. The petals at the tip are purplish or yellowish, also depending on subspecies. The fruit is a flat, straight silique which may be over 11 centimeters long.
Streptanthus longisiliquus is a species of flowering plant in the mustard family known by the common name long-fruit jewelflower. It was first described to science in 2007. It is endemic to northern California, where it is known from Butte, Tehama, and Shasta Counties. It can be found in forest and woodland habitat in mountains and foothills. It is a short-lived perennial herb producing a few-branched stem up to 1.2 to 1.5 meters in maximum height. It is mostly hairless except for some light hairs on the inflorescences and sometimes the leaf petioles. The basal leaves have oval or spoon-shaped blades up to 10 centimeters long, usually with smooth edges. Leaves higher on the stem are oval or oblong and lack petioles, their bases often clasping the stem. Flowers occur at intervals along the upper stem. Each flower has a bell-shaped calyx of sepals which yellow-green at the base and purplish at the tip, measuring under a centimeter in length. The petals emerging from the end are brownish or purplish with greenish bases. The fruit is a flattened, curving silique that can be quite long even for the genus, measuring up to 15 centimeters in length.
Streptanthus vernalis is a rare species of flowering plant in the mustard family known by the common name early jewelflower. It was first observed in the 1970s but not actually described to science until 2005. It is endemic to Lake County, California, where it is known from a single occurrence at Three Peaks near the Napa County line. It is apparently limited to serpentine outcrops in forested and chaparral habitat. Genetic analysis indicates that the species is distinct from other Streptanthus and is most closely related to Streptanthus morrisonii, which it resembles. It is a hairless annual herb producing an erect branching or unbranched stem 2 to 20 centimeters tall. The ephemeral basal leaves have thick, fleshy leaves which are green and unmottled on top and purple on the undersides. Leaves higher on the stem are linear to lance-shaped and lack petioles. Flowers occur at intervals along the upper stem. Each flower has an urn-shaped calyx of sepals which is solid green with no purple or yellowish tinge. The petals emerging from the tip are white without darker veining. The fruit is a flattened straight silique 3 to 5 centimeters long containing orange seeds.
Streptanthus morrisonii is an uncommon species of flowering plant in the mustard family known by the common name Morrison's jewelflower. It is endemic to California, where it is known from the North and Central Coast Ranges. It is limited to serpentine soils in chaparral and forest habitat. It is considered a species complex which includes Streptanthus brachiatus. S. morrisonii is divided into four subspecies and is variable. In general, it is a biennial herb producing a hairless, waxy stem up to 1.2 to 1.5 meters in maximum height, often branching at the tip. The basal leaves have fleshy, lance-shaped blades 3 to 5 centimeters long borne on petioles. The blades are gray-green on the upper surface and purple or purple-mottled underneath. Leaves higher on the stem are variable in shape and become smaller toward the top of the plant. Flowers occur at intervals along the upper stem. Each has an urn-shaped calyx of keeled sepals in shades of yellow-green to purple. The petals emerging from the tip are whitish with purple-brown veining. The fruit is a flattened straight or slightly curved silique up to 8 centimeters long.
Streptanthus anceps, synonyms Caulanthus anceps and Guillenia lemmonii, is a species of flowering plant in the family Brassicaceae, known by the common name Lemmon's mustard.
Streptanthus hyacinthoides is a species of flowering plant in the mustard family known by the common name smooth jewelflower. It is found in Texas, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Louisiana and Nebraska, occurring in prairies, grasslands, and roadsides. The specific name hyacinthoides is Greek, referring to the resemblance of the species to the genus Hyacinthus, and the common name "smooth jewelflower" refers to the glabrous stems of the plant.