[Candytufts and Pennycresses: The Genera Noccaea and Thlaspi East of the Cascade
Mountains of Oregon and Washington]
Alpine Pennycress, Glaucous Pennycress, Rock Pennycress, Wild Candytuft
Noccaea fendleri ssp. glauca
Synonyms: Noccaea montana, Thlaspi alpestre, Thlaspi fendleri, Thlaspi fendleri var. glaucum, Thlaspi montanum var. monanum
The photo above shows a close-up sideview of the calyx and flowers of rock penny cress as seen from about 6150 feet along Forest Road #40 several miles northwest of Misery Springs in the Umatilla National Forest in southeastern Washington.......June 25, 2007. Note the white margins to the sepals.
The
photo at right shows wild candytuft from Dog Mt., May 2002. Note the glaucous
appearance of the plant and the clasping bases to the leaves.
Characteristics:
Rock penny cress is also known as glaucous penny cress. It is
an attractive wildflower with one to several erect, simple to branched stems
arising from 3-25 cm. The herbage is smooth and somewhat bluish-green in color.
The numerous basal leaves may be found in a rosette, and several smaller leaves
alternate up the stem. The basal leaves range from 1.5-4 cm long are oblanceolate
in shape, tapering abruptly to a narrow petiole. The margins are entire or may
have several teeth. The stem leaves are reduced in size and are lanceolate to
oblong-elliptic, sessile, and auriculate or with clasping lobes at their base.
The stem leaves measure from 5-35 mm long with entire margins.
The flowers have 4 white petals, from 4-6 mm long, with the 4 smaller
sepals from 2-3 mm long. The thin pedicels are spreading to ascending and measure
from 4-10 mm long. The seed capsules are elliptic in shape and acute at the tip,
to heart-shaped with a notch at the tip (see photo below). The margins
are keeled and thinly winged. The capsules measure from 4-10 mm long.
Habitat:
Rock penny cress is a wildflower of open slopes and meadows.
It is found from the valleys near sea level to open alpine regions in the mountains.
Range:
Rock penny cress is found west of the Rocky Mts. from British
Columbia to Alberta and south to California and New Mexico.
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Close-up views of a flower and of the general form of rock penny cress as seen from about 6150 feet along Forest Road #40 several miles northwest of Misery Springs in the Umatilla National Forest in southeastern Washington.........June 25, 2007.
Rock penny cress as seen from along Trail #808A near the junction with Trail #804 atop Lookout Mt., Ochoco National Forest.........May 29, 2016.
This photo shows rock penny cress in moist, open woods next to Misery Campground in the Umatila N.F. of southeastern Washington.........July 7, 2008.
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Alpine penny cress blooming (left) on rocky slopes along Trail #201 above Wildcat Basin, Strawberry Mountain Wilderness..........July 1, 2010. The photo at right shows alpine penny cress blooming along the Round Mountain South Trail #805 just south of the summit of Round Mountain, Ochoco National Forest.........May 28, 2016.
Alpine pennycress blooming along Trail #808A on the north side of Lookout Mountain, Ochoco National Forest.....May 26, 2018.
Seed pods of alpine pennycress
Paul Slichter
