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serpentine bittercress
Scientific Name: Cardamine pachystigma var. pachystigma
Family: Brassicaceae
Category: Dicot
Growth: Forb/herb
Duration: Perennial
Other Names:
Serpentine Bittercress (Cardamine pachystigma)
Cardamine pachystigma, commonly known as serpentine bittercress, is a flowering plant species belonging to the genus Cardamine.
Considerations for Pets
- This plant is known to grow in rocky areas. In home gardens, pets may encounter it on serpentine soil.
Taxonomy and Nomenclature
- Scientific Name: Cardamine pachystigma (S. Watson) Rollins
- Common Name: Serpentine Bittercress
- Family: Brassicaceae (mentioned as the family for the larger Cardamine genus)
- Synonym: Cardamine californica var. pachystigma (S. Watson) O.E. Schulz
Distribution and Habitat
- Cardamine pachystigma is endemic to California.
- It thrives in rocky environments.
Morphological Characteristics
- The serpentine bittercress can reach a size of 2 meters in height.
- During the summer it assumes a white coloring.
- It is not evergreen and loses foliage.
Ecological Role
- This plant has been recorded to grow on Serpentine Flora located within Jasper Ridge Biological Preserve.
Quirky Facts
- Serpentine soils, where Cardamine pachystigma grows, release elevated concentrations of toxic heavy metals into the environment.
Further Information
- Discover Life offers a page dedicated to the biology, natural history, ecology, identification, and distribution of Cardamine pachystigma.