Caulanthus glaucus
Encyclopedia
Caulanthus glaucus is a species of flowering plant in the mustard family
known by the common name glaucous wild cabbage. It is native to southern Nevada
and adjacent parts of eastern California
and Mojave Desert
sky island
s, where it grows in open, rocky habitat in the desert mountains.
This is a perennial herb producing a slender, branching stem from a woody caudex
. The largest of the leaves appear in a cluster at the base of the plant, and are oblong or oval and up to 10 centimeters long. Smaller, lance-shaped leaves appear higher up on the stem. The flower has a coat of thick green sepal
s over narrow yellowish or purplish petals. The fruit is a long, thin silique
which may approach 15 centimeters in length.
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 glaucous wild cabbage. It is native to southern Nevada
Nevada
Nevada is a state in the western, mountain west, and southwestern regions of the United States. With an area of and a population of about 2.7 million, it is the 7th-largest and 35th-most populous state. Over two-thirds of Nevada's people live in the Las Vegas metropolitan area, which contains its...
and adjacent parts of eastern 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...
and Mojave Desert
Mojave Desert
The Mojave Desert occupies a significant portion of southeastern California and smaller parts of central California, southern Nevada, southwestern Utah and northwestern Arizona, in the United States...
sky island
Sky island
Sky islands are mountains that are isolated by surrounding lowlands of a dramatically different environment, a situation which, in combination with the altitudinal zonation of ecosystems, has significant implications for natural habitats. Endemism, vertical migration, and relict populations are...
s, where it grows in open, rocky habitat in the desert mountains.
This is a perennial herb producing a slender, branching stem from a 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...
. The largest of the leaves appear in a cluster at the base of the plant, and are oblong or oval and up to 10 centimeters long. Smaller, lance-shaped leaves appear higher up on the stem. The flower has a coat of thick green 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 over narrow yellowish or purplish petals. The fruit is a long, thin 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...
which may approach 15 centimeters in length.