[Rockcresses: The Genera Arabis, Boechera and Turritis in Mt. Adams Country]
Littleleaf Rockcress, Little-leaf Rock Cress, Small-leaved Rockcress
Boechera microphylla
Synonyms: Arabis microphylla, Arabis microphylla var. macounii, Arabis microphylla var. microphylla, Boechera microphylla var. microphylla
Little-leaf rock cress from the lower Deschutes River, OR.......March
22, 1997.
Photo at right: Arabis
microphylla var. microphylla leaf. Note the tiny 3-pronged (trifurcate)
hairs covering the leaf.
Characteristics:
1. Pink to purple flowers are 4-petaled (5-8 mm in length).
2. Flowers are located in a tight raceme, or occasionally on
the outer half of the stem.
3. Stems are frequently erect, with several thin stem leaves.
4. The basal leaves form a tight central clump, The leaves
are long and thin in shape.
5. The seed pods are long thin siliques. In variety microphylla,
the siliques usually number less than 6, and these are often recurved or pendent.
Habitat:
Little-leaf rock cress may be found on rocky cliffs and outcrops.
Range:
Little-leaf rock cress may be found from British Columbia south
to north central and northeastern Oregon, east to Montana and Wyoming.
The photo above shows the glabrous silique of little-leaf rockcress
as seen near Sherar's Bridge on the Deschutes River of central Oregon........April
18, 2004. The siliques range from erect to ascending, spreading, or may even
be some what reflexed downwards towards the tip. They measure from 2.5-6 cm
long and 1.2-2 mm wide.
Little-leaf rock cress from Lower Deschutes River, OR.....March
22, 1997.
Paul Slichter