Columbia Rockcress, Few-flowered Rockcress, Sicklepod Rockcress, Small-flowered Rockcress
Boechera pauciflora
Synonyms: Arabis campyloba, Arabis holboellii, Arabis holboellii var. pinetorum, Arabis perelegans, Arabis sparsiflora, Arabis sparsiflora var. columbiana, Arabis sparsiflora var. subvillosa, Boechera sparsiflora var. subvillosa
The photo above shows the general form of Columbia
rockress as seen at a rock quarry along road K5000 on the eastern slopes of
Mt. Adams.........May 29, 2006. Many plants tend to exist as
solitary stems (as seen from the same site further below) rather than multiple
stems from the base.
The photo above shows a close-up of the flowers
of Columbia rockcress as seen at the DNR rockpit at an elevation of 4100' at
the end of Road K6900 on the southeastern side of Mt. Adams..........May
29, 2005. Mature pods are slightly flattened side to side and curve downward
at the tip. The photos below were also taken at the same location on the same
date.
The photo above shows the maturing pods of Columbia rockcress
(former var. subvillosa) which are ascending to spreading and arched downward
at the tip.
The basal leaves of Columbia rockcress (former variety subvillosa).
The photo above shows the stem leaves with their clasping bases of Columbia rockcress as seen along the Haul Road in the upper Klickitat River Canyon...........May 3, 2008.
Note the base of the stem leaves, which clasp the stem.
The photo above shows a single-stemmed Columbia rockcress as
seen at a rock quarry on road K5000..........May 29, 2006. Note the
numerous, sessile and clasping leaves which are only slightly reduced in size
upwards on the stem.
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These photos show close-ups of the flowers
and a fruit of Columbia rockcress as seen on steep, open slopes above the White Salmon
River along Forest Road #23 about 1/4 mile south of Forest Road #8810 on the
southwestern side of Mt. Adams..........June 21, 2005. The flower pedicels, and later,
those bearing pods may at first be spreading, but are most often turned downwards
as seen here At first, I identified this as Boechera retrofracta, but that species has a long, tight inflorescence of many flowers with all the fruits immediately deflexed nearly straight down and generally oriented to one side of the stem.
Paul Slichter