Boechera parishii (S.Watson) Al-Shehbaz
Family: Brassicaceae
Dwarf Rockcress
[Arabis parishii S. Watson]
Boechera parishii image
Dean Wm. Taylor  

Perennials; short- to long-lived; sexual; caudex often woody. Stems usually 1 per caudex branch, arising from center of rosette near ground surface, 0.3-1.4 dm, densely pubescent proximally, trichomes short-stalked, 2-8-rayed, 0.2-0.4 mm, sparsely pubescent distally. Basal leaves: blade linear to linear-oblanceolate, 0.5-2 mm wide, margins entire, often ciliate along petiole, trichomes (branched), to 0.6 mm, surfaces densely pubescent, trichomes short-stalked, 6-12-rayed, 0.07-0.15 mm. Cauline leaves: 2-8, rarely concealing stem proximally; blade auricles absent, surfaces of distalmost leaves densely pubescent. Racemes 5-20-flowered, unbranched. Fruiting pedicels ascending, straight, 3-7 mm, pubescent, trichomes appressed, branched. Flowers ascending at anthesis; sepals pubescent; petals lavender to purple, 8-13 × 2.5-4 mm, glabrous; pollen ellipsoid. Fruits ascending, not appressed to rachis, not secund, straight, edges parallel, 1.5-2.5 cm × 1.8-2.5 mm; valves glabrous; ovules 12-20 per ovary; style 3-8 mm. Seeds uniseriate, 1.5-2 × 1-1.5 mm; wing distal or continuous, 0.05-0.2 mm wide. 2n = 14.

Flowering Mar-May. Gravelly hillsides in sagebrush- juniper-pine areas; of conservation concern; 1900-2300 m; Calif.

Boechera parishii is a distinctive, long-styled, sexual diploid known only from San Bernardino Mountains in San Bernardino County.