Scientific Family
Brassicaceae
Synonyms
Physaria cinerea
Plant type
Forbs and Subshrubs
Origin
Native
Lifecycle
Perennial
Similar species
Physaria arizonica
Height
3/4 to 4 inches
Riparian
No
Stems mostly 3/4 to 4 inches long, few, from flat on the ground to ascending; basal leaves in a dense rosette; flowers on short and dense stems; flower stems somewhat spike-like; petals longer than sepals, sometimes nearly twice as long.
Stems few from base, erect, sturdy, to 4 inches; basal leaf blades rounded, rhombic or broadly elliptic; stem leaves elliptic; flowers 4-petaled, yellow to orange; fruit sessile or with short stems, rounded apically, compressed at margins.
Habitat
Red soil, chiprock, gypsum or chalky knolls, limestone rubble, rocky slopes and mesas.
Plant Community
Pinyon Juniper Woodlands
Desert Scrub
Low elevation
2500
High elevation
7000
Flower Characteristics
Spike-like condensed, lower flower stalks longer than the upper to umbrella-like, few-flowered; sepals and petals egg-shaped; petals slightly narrowed at base, margins strongly wavy, often with a shallow notch at tip.
Flower color
Yellow to orange
Flower shape
Regular
Tubular
No
First bloom month
March
Last bloom month
August
Flower clusters
Elongated
Leaf and Stem Characteristics
Densely hairy, basal leaves in a dense rosette, mostly 3/4 to 1 inch long, including stems, vary from spoon-shaped to nearly round; stem leaves narrow, <3/4 inch long; lower leaves with a stem, upper leaves nearly without a stem; margins smooth.
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf color
Green
Leaf shape
Narrow
Leaf margin
Smooth
Leaves clasp
No
Leaf hairs
Leaves & stems
Spines
No
Fruit and Seed Characteristics
Round, compressed with constrictions at margins or tip, 1/4 to 1/2 inch; hairy, with hairs contiguous or overlapping, often spreading; immature seeds 16 to 24 per ovary, styles (ovary to stigma) <1/4 inch, split in half when mature.
Fruit type
Other
Lenticular (lens-shaped) and egg-shaped in outline.