Scientific Family
Brassicaceae
Other common names
heart-leaf jewelflower
Plant type
Forbs and Subshrubs
Origin
Native
Lifecycle
Biennial or perennial
Height
3 feet
Riparian
No
Small, urn-shaped flowers with 4 purple to brownish and spreading petals; thick, firm leaves; flower buds are a deep purple prior to blooming.
Stems simple to branching, usually unbranched, pale green; leaves in basal rosettes and alternate on stems, blades thick, firm; petals purplish to brownish, narrow at base; sepals greenish-brown to purple, flowers aranged equal distances along stems.
Habitat
Many types of sagebrush, woodland, and forest habitat in rocky soils among gravel and in crevices.
Plant Community
Pinyon Juniper Woodlands
Montane Conifer Forest
Interior Chaparral
Grasslands
Desert Scrub
Low elevation
2000
High elevation
8000
Flower Characteristics
4 petals, 3/4 inch long, purplish to brownish, claw (narrow basal part of petals) purplish; sepals greenish-brown to purple, 1/2 inch long; stamens in 3 unequal pairs.
Flower color
Purplish to brownish
Flower shape
Regular
Tubular
No
First bloom month
March
Last bloom month
May
Flower clusters
Other
Leaf and Stem Characteristics
Pale green stems; basal and stem leaves, margins smooth to toothed, bluish-green rosette basal leaves spatula-shaped, to 4 inches long; stem leaves alternate, oblong to ovate, 3/4 to 3-1/2 inches long and 1/2 to 3 inches wide, blades thick, firm.
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf color
Pale green, bluish-green
Leaf shape
Round or oval
Leaf margin
Smooth
Leaves clasp
No
Leaf hairs
None
Spines
No
Fruit and Seed Characteristics
Long cylindrical capsule (silique); smooth, straight, flattened; 2 to 6 inches long and 1/8 to 1/4 inch wide; splits into 2 halves with prominent midvein.
Fruit type
Capsule
Oblong to nearly circular, 1/16 to 1/4 inch long and 1/8 inch wide, wings to 1/16 inch wide.