Scientific Family
Brassicaceae
Other common names
Whitlow-grass
Plant type
Forbs and Subshrubs
Origin
Native
Lifecycle
Annual
Height
Up to 12 inches
Riparian
No
This member of the mustard family is one of spring's early bloomers. Stalks emerge from a basal rosette, becoming leafless and
terminating in racemes of distinct 4-petal white flowers. The pods may have as strong a visual impact as the flowers.
Annual, stems hairy, simple or branched at bases. Leaves mostly basal and round, edges smooth or toothed at tips; leaf hairs simple or forked; stem leaves few and smaller. Spreading to ascending hairy stalks bear small white hairy flowers.
Habitat
Around the base of pinyon or juniper trees, in rock outcroppings and on rocky slopes, in forest openings, on gravel banks and
roadsides.
Plant Community
Pinyon Juniper Woodlands
Disturbed Areas
Desert Scrub
Low elevation
1000
High elevation
7000
Flower Characteristics
Flower consists of four white petals, each slightly notched. There are six stamen, four larger and two smaller. The flowers form compact terminal flower heads.
Flower color
White
Flower shape
Regular
Tubular
No
First bloom month
February
Last bloom month
May
Flower clusters
Elongated
Leaf and Stem Characteristics
The leaf has a rounded apex and tapered base. Leaves form a basal rosette and then appear on bottom half of erect stems that emerge from the rosette. Basal leaves are <1 inch wide and 1/4 to 3/4 inch long. Leaves and stems have star-shaped hairs.
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf color
Dark green
Leaf shape
Triangular
Leaf margin
Toothed
Leaves clasp
No
Leaf hairs
Leaves & stems
Spines
No
Fruit and Seed Characteristics
Fruit type
Pod
Fruit color
Green
Silicle is elliptical to linear in shape.