About Streptanthus cordatus Nutt.
Streptanthus cordatus Nutt. is a species of flowering plant in the mustard family, commonly called heartleaf twistflower. It is native to the western United States, where it grows in many types of sagebrush, woodland, and forest habitats. This perennial herb grows a branched or unbranched stem reaching up to about one meter tall, and often has a waxy texture. Its basal leaves are oval or spoon-shaped, with bristle-toothed blades growing on petioles covered in rough hairs. Leaves positioned higher on the stem range from oval to lance-shaped, reaching up to 9 centimeters long, and their bases usually clasp the stem. Flowers grow at intervals along the upper section of the stem. Each flower has a calyx of sepals roughly one centimeter long that start greenish yellow and turn purple as they mature. Four purple petals grow out from the tip of each calyx. The plant produces a thin, narrow fruit called a silique, which can reach 14 centimeters in length or even longer.
