About Streptanthus barbatus S.Watson
Streptanthus barbatus S.Watson is a species of flowering plant in the mustard family, with the common name Pacific jewelflower. It is endemic to the southern Klamath Mountains of far northern California, where it grows in open wooded habitat among Jeffrey Pines, most commonly on serpentine soils. This plant is a perennial herb that produces a decumbent or erect stem that sometimes branches, reaching 70 to 90 centimeters in length. The plant is hairless overall, with the exception of some light hairs found on its flowers and the bases of its leaves. The largest leaves grow at the base of the plant. These basal leaves are oval with faintly toothed, bristly edges, no more than 3 centimeters long, and grow on short petioles. Leaves higher up the stem are oval to rounded, and may clasp the stem. Flowers grow at intervals along the upper section of the stem. Each flower has a spherical to urn-shaped calyx made of keeled sepals, under one centimeter long, with curving petals that barely emerge from the tip of the calyx. The calyx of sepals is whitish when young, and darkens to purple as it matures. The petals are purple. The fruit produced by the plant is a long, flat, curving silique that can reach up to 7 centimeters in length.
