Common name:
Flagstaff rockcress
Family:
Scientific name:
Boechera gracilipes
Main flower color:
Range:
Central to northwest Arizona, and a few areas in Utah and New Mexico
Height:
Up to 30 inches
Habitat:
Ponderosa and pinyon-juniper woodland, often on limestone or basaltic soils, from 5,500 to 7,500 feet
Leaves:
Oblanceolate, up to 3 inches long and 0.5 inches wide; hairy, with toothed edges
Season:
April to June
As its common name suggests, boechera gracilipes is most abundant in the pine forests around Flagstaff, its range extending to other wooded, mid elevation regions of the Colorado Plateau. This comparatively rare species is characterized by the tall, usually single stem, the large number of stem leaves (between 30 and 65), the uniformly hairy basal leaves, and the relatively long pedicels when in fruit, between 1 and 1.5 inches.
Basal leaves have a few large teeth along the margins, and both surfaces are covered by quite thick, branched hairs (trichomes), which have 2 or 3 rays. In contrast, the stem leaves are mostly glabrous. Cauline leaves are especially dense towards the base, generally hiding the stem.
The inflorescence is a terminal cluster of between 12 and 50 small, five-petaled flowers, which have ascending pedicels. Petal color varies from white to pale purple. Calyces are sparsely hairy. Fruits are narrow, lightly curved pods, between 1.5 and 3 inches long.
Basal leaves have a few large teeth along the margins, and both surfaces are covered by quite thick, branched hairs (trichomes), which have 2 or 3 rays. In contrast, the stem leaves are mostly glabrous. Cauline leaves are especially dense towards the base, generally hiding the stem.
The inflorescence is a terminal cluster of between 12 and 50 small, five-petaled flowers, which have ascending pedicels. Petal color varies from white to pale purple. Calyces are sparsely hairy. Fruits are narrow, lightly curved pods, between 1.5 and 3 inches long.
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