Brassicaceae

Streptanthus cordatus

Heart-Leaved Jewel Flower

Stem erect, small basal rosette. Foliage yellow-green. Basal leaves heart-shaped, toothed above middle, with petioles as long as leaf; stem leaves usually toothless, clasping. Flowers on extending stem. Calyx of 4 bristle-tipped sepals, yellow-green in bud, becoming purple in flower; 4 yellow or red-purple petals extend upward. Seedpods straight, 2–4 in., pointing upward. Grows in rocky or sandy scrub, pine forests, at high elevations. Streptanthus tortuosus, in rocky serpentine or volcanic soils, is shrub-like, its 1 to several stems with few branches. Inflorescence bracts pale greenish yellow, sepals purple or greenish yellow, petals tipped white and veined purple.

• Rarity: Common
• Flowering Time: Late Spring, Early Summer
• Life Cycle: Biennial, Perennial
• Height: 1--3 feet
• Habitat: East-Side Forest, Shrub-Steppe, Subalpine
• Found In: Steens
• Native: Yes