Streptanthus fenestratus
Encyclopedia
Streptanthus fenestratus is an uncommon species of flowering plant in the mustard family
known by the common name Tehipite Valley jewelflower.
, where it is known only from the high mountain peaks of the Sierra Nevada in Kings Canyon National Park
. It grows in coniferous forests. There are about ten populations.
s at the base of the raceme
. Each flower has a tubular urn-shaped calyx of purple sepal
s just under a centimeter long. Light petals up to 1.5 centimeters long emerge from the tip of the calyx. The fruit is a flat, narrow silique
up to 5 centimeters long.
One of the main threats to this species is trampling by hikers
.
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 Tehipite Valley jewelflower.
Distribution
It is endemic to Fresno County, CaliforniaFresno County, California
Fresno County is a county located in the Central Valley of the U.S. state of California, south of Stockton and north of Bakersfield. As of the 2010 census, it is the tenth most populous county in California with a population of 930,450, and the sixth largest in size with an area of . The county...
, where it is known only from the high mountain peaks of the Sierra Nevada in Kings Canyon National Park
Kings Canyon National Park
Kings Canyon National Park is a National Park in the southern Sierra Nevada, east of Fresno, California. The park was established in 1940 and covers...
. It grows in coniferous forests. There are about ten populations.
Description
Streptanthus fenestratus is an annual herb producing a hairless, waxy stem up 35 or 40 centimeters in maximum height. The basal leaves have blades divided into several lobes or leaflets. Leaves higher on the stem have oval or lance-shaped blades usually not subdivided. Flowers occur at intervals along the upper stem with one or two leaflike green or purple-tipped bractBract
In botany, a bract is a modified or specialized leaf, especially one associated with a reproductive structure such as a flower, inflorescence axis, or cone scale. Bracts are often different from foliage leaves. They may be smaller, larger, or of a different color, shape, or texture...
s at the base of the raceme
Raceme
A raceme is a type of inflorescence that is unbranched and indeterminate and bears pedicellate flowers — flowers having short floral stalks called pedicels — along the axis. In botany, axis means a shoot, in this case one bearing the flowers. In a raceme, the oldest flowers are borne...
. Each flower has a tubular urn-shaped calyx of purple 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 just under a centimeter long. Light petals up to 1.5 centimeters long emerge from the tip of the calyx. The fruit is a flat, narrow 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...
up to 5 centimeters long.
One of the main threats to this species is trampling by hikers
Hiking
Hiking is an outdoor activity which consists of walking in natural environments, often in mountainous or other scenic terrain. People often hike on hiking trails. It is such a popular activity that there are numerous hiking organizations worldwide. The health benefits of different types of hiking...
.