Physaria kingii (S.Watson) O'Kane & Al-Shehbaz

Nomenclature and Taxonomy

Physaria kingii, commonly known as King bladderpod, is a species of flowering plant in the mustard family Brassicaceae.

Distribution and Habitat

It is native to western North America, ranging from Utah to Baja California, where it grows in dry, rocky habitats including deserts and adjacent mountain slopes.

Growth Form

This species is a perennial herb that produces a small, hairy stem growing from a caudex.

Leaf Characteristics

Its leaves grow in a patch or rosette around the caudex; individual leaves reach up to 6 centimeters long, and can be round, oval, diamond-shaped, or spoon-shaped.

Inflorescence and Flowers

The inflorescence is an erect or mostly upright raceme bearing bright yellow flowers typical of mustard plants.

Fruit Characteristics

The fruit is a hairy capsule less than one centimeter long, held on a short, often curved pedicel.

Subspecies Classification

There are three recognized subspecies of Physaria kingii.

Rare Subspecies Range

One of these, subsp. bernardina, commonly called San Bernardino Mountains bladderpod, is a very rare taxon known only from a small number of locations near Big Bear in the San Bernardino Mountains of southern California.

Conservation Status

Due to threats to this subspecies from mining and other human activities, it is classified as an endangered species at the federal level.