''Erysimum capitatum'' is a species of

wallflower ''Erysimum'', or wallflower, is a genus of flowering plants in the cabbage family, Brassicaceae. It includes more than 150 species, both popular garden plants and many wild forms. The genus ''Cheiranthus'' is sometimes included here in whole o ...

known commonly as the sanddune wallflower, western wallflower, or prairie rocket. This species can be found in regions across

North America North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere and almost entirely within the Western Hemisphere. It is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South America and th ...

, from the

Great Lakes The Great Lakes, also called the Great Lakes of North America, are a series of large interconnected freshwater lakes in the mid-east region of North America that connect to the Atlantic Ocean via the Saint Lawrence River. There are five lakes ...

to the

West Coast of the United States The West Coast of the United States, also known as the Pacific Coast, Pacific states, and the western seaboard, is the coastline along which the Western United States meets the North Pacific Ocean. The term typically refers to the contiguous U.S ...

. Some varieties have an extremely narrow distribution, especially those

endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found else ...

California California is a state in the Western United States, located along the Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the most populous U.S. state and the 3rd largest by area. It is also the m ...

Description

''Erysimum capitatum'' is a

mustard Mustard may refer to: Food and plants * Mustard (condiment), a paste or sauce made from mustard seeds used as a condiment * Mustard plant, one of several plants, having seeds that are used for the condiment ** Mustard seed, seeds of the mustard p ...

-like plant with thin, erect stems growing from a basal rosette and topped with dense bunches of variably colored flowers. Flowers are most typically bright golden, yellow, or tangerine-colored, but plants in some populations may have red, white or purple flowers. Each flower has four flat

petal Petals are modified leaves that surround the reproductive parts of flowers. They are often brightly colored or unusually shaped to attract pollinators. All of the petals of a flower are collectively known as the ''corolla''. Petals are usuall ...

Seed pod This page provides a glossary of plant morphology. Botanists and other biologists who study plant morphology use a number of different terms to classify and identify plant organs and parts that can be observed using no more than a handheld magnify ...

s are nearly parallel to the stem. It is a biennial herb and its native habitats include plains, foothills, and high elevation coniferous forests. The Latin specific epithet ''capitatum'' refers to the head-like shape of the flower cluster or the knobby stigma.

Subspecies

There are varieties or

subspecies In biological classification, subspecies is a rank below species, used for populations that live in different areas and vary in size, shape, or other physical characteristics ( morphology), but that can successfully interbreed. Not all specie ...

of this plant. Some are listed

endangered species An endangered species is a species that is very likely to become extinct in the near future, either worldwide or in a particular political jurisdiction. Endangered species may be at risk due to factors such as habitat loss, poaching and inv ...

. For example, ''Erysimum capitatum'' var. ''angustatum'', the Contra Costa wallflower, is an endangered plant in the state of

. The varieties include: *''E. c.'' var. ''angustatum''—Contra Costa wallflower; endemic to California, endangered species. *''E. c.'' var. ''bealianum''—Sanddune wallflower;

Mojave Desert The Mojave Desert ( ; mov, Hayikwiir Mat'aar; es, Desierto de Mojave) is a desert in the rain shadow of the Sierra Nevada mountains in the Southwestern United States. It is named for the indigenous Mojave people. It is located primarily ...

, California. *''E. c.'' var. ''capitatum''—Western wallflower; flowers from May to July, widely distributed across Colorado and Utah. *''E. c.'' var. ''lompocense''—San Luis Obispo wallflower; endemic to California. *''E. c.'' var. ''perenne'' (syn: ''Erysimum perenne'')—Sanddune wallflower; endemic to California. *''E. c.'' var. ''purshii''—Pursh's wallflower;

Western United States The Western United States (also called the American West, the Far West, and the West) is the region comprising the westernmost states of the United States. As American settlement in the U.S. expanded westward, the meaning of the term ''the We ...

Pollinators

Little information on this wallflower species relationship with pollinators exists. Andrew Moldenke studied a population of ''Erysimum capitatum'' var. ''perenne'' in Subalpine Talus Fell Scree of the Timberland Hall Area ( elevation). He observed 13 species of flower visitors, although over 80% of the visits to the flowers were performed by two ant species, ''Formica lasioides'' and one from the ''

Formica fusca ''Formica fusca'' is a black-colored ant commonly found throughout Europe as well as parts of Southern Asia and Africa. It has the common names silky ant or dusky ant. The range within the palaearctic region extends from Portugal in the west to ...

'' group.

Cultivation

''Erysimum capitatum'' is cultivated as an

ornamental plant Ornamental plants or garden plants are plants that are primarily grown for their beauty but also for qualities such as scent or how they shape physical space. Many flowering plants and garden varieties tend to be specially bred cultivars that ...

. It is an attractive

perennial A perennial plant or simply perennial is a plant that lives more than two years. The term ('' per-'' + '' -ennial'', "through the years") is often used to differentiate a plant from shorter-lived annuals and biennials. The term is also widel ...

, can be variable in appearance, and is used in

butterfly gardening Butterfly gardening is a way to create, improve, and maintain habitat for lepidopterans including butterflies, skippers, and moths. Butterflies have four distinct life stages—egg, larva, chrysalis, and adult. In order to support and sustain ...

Uses

Zuni ethnobotany This is a list of plants and how they are used in Zuni culture. A *''Abronia fragrans'' (snowball sand-verbena), fresh flowers eaten for stomachaches. Camazine & Bye, p. 377. * ''Achillea millefolium'' var. ''occidentalis'' (western yarrow ...

, an infusion of the whole plant is used externally for muscle aches. The flower and the fruit are eaten as an emetic for stomach aches.

References

External links

USDA Plants Profile for ''Erysimum capitatum''Jepson Manual Treatment — ''Erysimum capitatum''''Erysimum capitatum'' Photo gallery
{{Taxonbar, from=Q3025685

capitatum The capitate bone is a bone in the human wrist found in the center of the carpal bone region, located at the distal end of the radius and ulna bones. It articulates with the third metacarpal bone (the middle finger) and forms the third carpomet ...

Flora of the Northwestern United States Flora of the Southwestern United States Flora of the West Coast of the United States Flora of the United States Flora of the Great Lakes region (North America) Flora of California Flora of the California desert regions Flora of the Sierra Nevada (United States) Plants used in traditional Native American medicine