Boechera constancei
Encyclopedia
Boechera constancei is a species of flowering plant in the mustard family
known by the common name Constance's rockcress. It is endemic to California
, where it is known only from the northern Sierra Nevada of Plumas
and Sierra Counties
. It is a member of the serpentine soil
s flora. This is a perennial herb growing from a branching, woody caudex
. It produces one or more erect, hairless stems to maximum heights between 15 and 30 centimeters. The caudex is surrounded by a dense basal rosette of stiff, blue-green, lance-shaped leaves up to 3 centimeters long. There may be a few smaller leaves along the stem. The inflorescence
produces 5 to 10 white mustardlike flowers with protruding stamen
s. The fruit is a hanging green silique
4 or 5 centimeters long which contains round, 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 name Constance's rockcress. It is endemic to 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 is known only from the northern Sierra Nevada of Plumas
Plumas County, California
Plumas County is a county located in the Sierra Nevada of the U.S. state of California. The county gets its name from the Spanish words for the Feather River , which flows through the county. As of the 2010 census, the population 20,007, down from 20,824 at the 2000 census...
and Sierra Counties
Sierra County, California
Sierra County is a county located in the Sierra Nevada of the U.S. state of California, northeast of Sacramento on the border with Nevada. As of the 2010 census the population was 3,240, down from 3,555 at the 2000 census. The county seat is Downieville....
. It is a member of the 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 flora. This is a perennial herb growing from a branching, woody caudex
Caudex
A caudex is a form of stem morphology appearing as a thickened, short, perennial stem that is either underground or near ground level . It may be swollen for the purpose of water storage, especially in xerophytes...
. It produces one or more erect, hairless stems to maximum heights between 15 and 30 centimeters. The caudex is surrounded by a dense basal rosette of stiff, blue-green, lance-shaped leaves up to 3 centimeters long. There may be a few smaller leaves along the stem. The inflorescence
Inflorescence
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...
produces 5 to 10 white mustardlike flowers with protruding stamen
Stamen
The stamen is the pollen producing reproductive organ of a flower...
s. The fruit is a hanging green 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...
4 or 5 centimeters long which contains round, winged seeds.