About Streptanthus hammittii (S.Boyd & T.S.Ross) Al-Shehbaz
Streptanthus hammittii is a species of flowering plant with the common name Hammitt's clay-cress. It is endemic to California, and is only found in two locations in the Peninsular Ranges: the Santa Ana Mountains in Riverside County, and Viejas Mountain and nearby peaks east of San Diego. It grows in grassy openings within chaparral habitat, growing alongside purple needlegrass (Nassella pulchra). It typically occurs in moist areas with heavy clay soils. This species and its genus were first described for scientific classification in 1997. It is an annual herb that produces a waxy stem that is hairless or slightly hairy, reaching up to around 20 centimeters tall. Its leaves are linear in shape, measuring up to 4.5 centimeters long and about one millimeter wide. The inflorescence bears mustard-like flowers that each have four spoon-shaped, dark-veined, purple-pink petals around one centimeter long. The fruit is a long, narrow, flat silique that measures 1.5 to 2.5 centimeters long and less than one millimeter wide, and holds up to 44 very small seeds.
