Page authors: Don Knoke, David Giblin
Boechera cusickii
Cusick's rockcress
Specimens
Photos

Distribution: Occurring east of the Cascades crest in Washington; east-central Washington to Nevada, east to Idaho.

Habitat: Sagebrush flats to open Ponderosa pine forests, often on lithosol.

Flowers: March-May

Origin: Native

Growth Duration: Perennial

Conservation Status: Not of concern

Pollination: Bees, flies, butterflies

Description:
General:

Low, tufted perennial from a branched crown, the 1-several stems ascending or erect, 1-2.5 dm. tall, with prominent stiff, spreading, simple or forked hairs at the base, rarely glabrous above.

Leaves:

Basal leaves numerous, linear-oblanceolate, 1-4 cm. long and 1.5-3 mm. broad, narrowed to a slender petiole, usually entire, conspicuously hairy on both surfaces and the margins with stiff, long, simple or forked hairs; cauline leaves alternate, numerous, overlapping, sessile, 1-3 cm. long, pubescent as the basal leaves.

Flowers:

Inflorescence of 3- to 25-flowered, simple or occasionally compound racemes, somewhat flat-topped in flower; pedicels stout, 5-12 mm. long, glabrous; sepals 4, purplish, 4-5 mm. long, with soft hairs, not gibbous-based; petals 4, nearly white to deep pink, 6-10 mm. long; stamens 6; style none.

Fruits:

Siliques glabrous, 4-7 cm. long and 2-3 mm. broad, 1-nerved to mid-length, strongly veined, ascending, the upper portion often curved until horizontal; seeds in 1 series.

Accepted Name:
Boechera cusickii (S. Watson) Al-Shehbaz
Publication: Novon. 13: 384. 2003.

Synonyms & Misapplications:
Arabis cusickii S. Watson [HC]
Additional Resources:

PNW Herbaria: Specimen records of Boechera cusickii in the Consortium of Pacific Northwest Herbaria database

WA Flora Checklist: Boechera cusickii checklist entry

OregonFlora: Boechera cusickii information

E-Flora BC: Boechera cusickii atlas page

CalPhotos: Boechera cusickii photos

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