Duration: Annual

Nativity: Native

Lifeform: Forb/Herb

General: Tall glabrous annual herb with branching stems 30-60 cm tall; leaves with 5 (sometimes 7) palmately compound leaflets; flowers yellow.

Leaves: With 5 (sometimes 7) palmately compound leaflets, glabrous; lower leaf petioles longer than upper leaf petioles which can be sessile; leaflets oblong to oblanceolate, 2-5 cm long, entire.

Flowers: Racemes elongate in fruit, rather persistent sepals united below; petals pale yellow, 4-7 mm long; filaments 10-15 mm long.

Fruits: Capsules 1-4 cm long on stipes 10-20 mm long; seeds nearly round and yellowish, 2 mm long.

Ecology: Mostly along streams from 2,000-7,000 ft (600-2130 m); flowers May-August.

Notes: Characterized by 5-7 palmately compound, entire leaflets and a raceme of yellow flowers. High drought tolerance, no fire tolerance.

Ethnobotany: Navajo used with tobacco in some chants. Plant also used for insect bites. Capers can also be gathered to eat.

Etymology: Cleome is early European name for mustard-like plant. Lutea means yellow, from a source of yellow dye called lutum. 

Synonyms: Cleome jonesii (J.F. Macbr.) Tidestr., Cleome lutea var. jonesii

Editor: SBuckley, 2010