Holboell's Rockcress, Reflexed Rockcress, Secund Rockcress: Boechera retrofracta (Synonyms: Arabis holboellii, Arabis holboellii var. retrofracta, Arabis holboellii var. secunda, Arabis retrofracta, Arabis secunda, Boechera holbellii, Bochera hoboellii var. secunda)

Holboell's oe secund rockcress is a biennial or short-lived perennial wildflower. One to several simple (to branched above) stems arise to a height of 100 cm. The lower part of the plant is strongly haired with simple or radially branched hairs, while the herbage is smooth to uniformly hairy above. The basal leaves are typically arranged in a basal rosette of linear-oblanceolate to broad, oblanceolate-spatulate leaves which are 1-5.5 cm long and 2-7 mm wide. The blades range from entire to toothed and are typically covered with fine felt-like hairs or longer, coarse or fine hairs. The numerous stem leaves often overlap each other and are often petiolate, although the upper leaves on some varieties are clasping with heart-shaped bases. They range from lanceolate to narrowly oblanceolate in shape and 1-5 cm long and 2-7 mm wide. Their blades are typically pubescent although they may be glabrous on some varieties.

The inflorescence is a densely-flowered raceme of 20-100 white, pink or most commonly, pinkish-purple flowers. The pedicels are 5-15 mm long and either uniformly curved downwards or more commonly abruptly bent downwards at the base. The pedicels vary from glabrous to hairy. Each of the 4 sepals is glabrous to hairy and each is 2.5-5 mm long. Each of the 4 petals is 5-10 mm long. The fruits are glabrous siliques from 3-7 cm long and 1-2 mm wide.

Variety retrofracta has simple to branched stems above measuring 20-90 cm high. They have woolly-haired stems below and range from pubescent to nearly glabrous above. The basal leaves are greater than 3 mm wide with entire to toothed margins. The leaf margins of the stem leaves are noticeably rolled under. The pedicels are sharply bent downwards at their bases.

Variety collinsii: Stem leaves with heart-shaped bases that often clasp the stem. Petals less than 7 mm long. Pedicels bent sharply downwards at their base. The siliques are more or less straight. Found from Washington to Alberta, Wyoming and east through he Dakotas and Manitoba to Quebec.

Variety pendulocarpa: Stem leaves lack heart-shaped bases. Found from British Columbia south to California and east to Montana and Colorado.

Variety pinetorum: Stem leaves with heart-shaped bases that often clasp the stem. Basal leaves are coarsely hairy. Pedicels uniformly curved outwards and downwards, not sharply reflexed downwards at the base. The siliques are thus spreading-drooping with the tip often incurved. Found from British Columbia south to California and east to Saskatchewan and Colorado.

Variety retrofracta: Stem leaves with heart-shaped bases that often clasp the stem. Leaves with margins rolled under, the upper ones pubescent. The basal leaves are covered in short, dense, felt-like hairs. Pedicels bent sharply downwards at their base. Petals over 7 mm long. Siliques 1.5-2 mm wide and more or less straight. Found from the Yukon and British Columbia south to California and east to Alberta (and occasionally to Quebec) and Colorado.

Secund rockcress is found from the Arctic south through much of North America to California, Arizona, and New Mexico, and as far east as the mid-Atlantic states.

Secund rockcress observed on the hilltop above the Pine Mountain Observatory, Deschutes National Forest......May 12, 2018. This possibly is Boechera puberula with its numerous, overlapping stem leaves?.

Secund rockcress as seen along the Sprague Highway about one mile west of the junction with Miller Ranch Road, eastern Washington...........April 28, 2014.

The photo above shows a close-up view of the inflorescence and upper stem leaves of Holboell's rockcress (variety retrofracta) as seen along FS Rd 4650 to the east of Table Rock in the northern Wallowa-Whitman NF.......June 26, 2008.

Close-ups of the inflorescence of Holboell's rock cress (var. retrofracta). Note the glabrous, spreading to reflexed pedicels and the numerous star-shaped hairs on the calyces. Photographed on Wedge Mt., Wenatchee National Forest.......June 8, 2009.

Holboell's rockcress (variety retrofracta) as seen (left and center left) along FS Rd 21 above Murderers Creek, Malheur NF........5/24/2003. Note the pedicel which is curved sharply downwards. The photos at center right and right show Holboell's rockcress (var. retrofracta) as seen on a rock outcrop upstream of the group camp at Ochoco Forest Camp, Ochoco National Forest........April 30, 2016.

Holboell's rockcress (var. retrofracta) as seen in scablands at the northeast corner of the junction of FS Roads #42 and #3010, southeast corner of Big Summit Prairie, Ochoco National Forest..........April 29, 2016.

Holboell's rockcress (var. retrofracta) as seen in scablands near the junction of FS Roads #42 and #300, Ochoco National Forest and adjacent BLM lands..........April 30, 2016.

Close-up images of the rolled stem leaf margins and sharply reflexed flowers of reflexed rockcress as seen in scablands along Forest Road 30 at the east side of Big Summit Prairie, Ochoco National Forest.........May 19, 2017.

The photo above shows the basal leaves and lower stem leaves of Holboell's rockcress (variety retrofracta) as seen along FS Rd 21 above Murderers Creek, Malheur NF........5/24/2003.