Brassicaceae
Descurainia pinnata

Short-Fruited Tansy Mustard

Erect, covered with grayish white hairs. Stem single, may branch only near top. Leaves in basal rosette 1/2–4 in. long, lance- to egg-shaped, pinnately lobed; upper leaves smaller, entire. Flowers in small clusters near top. Flower yellow, with small spoon-shaped petals. Seedpods erect, to 1 in. long, linear, straight, both ends sharply pointed with stalks longer than pod. Grows in open places and meadows, with sagebrush or aspen, at mid to high elevations. Subsp. filipes has erect seedpods. Subsp. incisa has seedpods spreading outward from stem. There are many species of Descurainia, all difficult to distinguish without a technical manual.

  • Rarity: Common
  • Flowering Time: Late Spring, Early Summer
  • Life Cycle: Annual, Biennial, Perennial
  • Height: 6--24 inches
  • Habitat: East-Side Forest, Shrub-Steppe
  • Found In: Olympic Np, Wallowas, Steens, N Cascades Np
  • Native: Yes

More Information: