The photo above shows a close-up side-view of the inflorescence of Cascade rockcress as seen at about 6900' along the Highline Trail #114 on Mt. Adams..........July 23, 2005. Note that the inflorescence and stems are glabrous.
The photo at right shows a close-up view of a flower of Cascade rockcress as seen along the Highline Trail #114 at about 6900'..........July 23, 2005. Note the 4 longer stamens and circular stigma which reach the opening of the flower tube, while 2 shorter stamens may be observed just inside the mouth of the flower.
Cascade rock cress is a pretty, tufted wildflower with one to several erect stems from 5-35 cm tall arising from a rosette of basal leaves. The herbage is mostly smooth, with straight hairs occasionally found near the base. The basal leaves are from 2-5 cm long and up to 2 cm wide with oblanceolate to obovate blades. The margins are entire or sometimes with shallow teeth. The basal leaves may have some simple or branched hairs on the surface. The 2-5 stem leaves are oblong to oblanceolate, sessile, and the uppermost often auriculate-clasping. The racemes are 5-30 flowered with white flowers. The sepals are from 2.5-3.5 mm long and the petals from 6-9 mm long. The seed capsules are erect siliques from 2.5-4 cm long and 1.5-2 mm wide (See photo below.).
Cascade rock cress is a wildflower of upper elevations of the Cascades, including alpine ridges and subalpine meadows.
Cascade rock cress is found in the Cascade Mts. from Chelan County, WA south to central Oregon, and in the Olympic Mts.. In the Columbia River Gorge, it may be found at low elevation (100'-4800') between Shellrock Mt and Viento State Park.
