''Caulanthus'' is a

genus Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family (taxonomy), family as used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In bino ...

of plants in the family

Brassicaceae Brassicaceae () or (the older but equally valid) Cruciferae () is a medium-sized and economically important Family (biology), family of flowering plants commonly known as the mustards, the crucifers, or the cabbage family. Most are herbaceous pla ...

. Plants of this genus may be known as jewelflowers. They are also often referred to as wild cabbage, although this common name usually refers to wild variants of ''Brassica oleracea'', the

cabbage Cabbage, comprising several cultivars of '' Brassica oleracea'', is a leafy green, red (purple), or white (pale green) biennial plant grown as an annual vegetable crop for its dense-leaved heads. It is descended from the wild cabbage ( ''B.& ...

plant. Jewelflowers are native to the

southwestern United States The Southwestern United States, also known as the American Southwest or simply the Southwest, is a geographic and cultural list of regions of the United States, region of the United States that includes Arizona and New Mexico, along with adjacen ...

and

northern Mexico Northern Mexico ( ), commonly referred as , is an informal term for the northern cultural and geographical area in Mexico. Depending on the source, it contains some or all of the states of Baja California, Baja California Sur, Chihuahua (state), ...

, where they are often found in warm, arid regions. Many species have an enlarged, erect

stem Stem or STEM most commonly refers to: * Plant stem, a structural axis of a vascular plant * Stem group * Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics Stem or STEM can also refer to: Language and writing * Word stem, part of a word respon ...

rising from a basal rosette of leaves.

Flowers Flowers, also known as blooms and blossoms, are the reproductive structures of flowering plants ( angiosperms). Typically, they are structured in four circular levels, called whorls, around the end of a stalk. These whorls include: calyx, m ...

arise directly from the surface of the stem; many

species A species () is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate sexes or mating types can produce fertile offspring, typically by sexual reproduction. It is the basic unit of Taxonomy (biology), ...

have colorful, bell-shaped flowers. The best-known of the fourteen species is probably the desert candle. Selected species: *'' Caulanthus amplexicaulis'' - claspingleaf wild cabbage, Santa Barbara jewelflower *'' Caulanthus barnebyi'' - Black Rock wild cabbage *'' Caulanthus californicus'' - California jewelflower *'' Caulanthus cooperi'' - Cooper's wild cabbage *'' Caulanthus coulteri'' - Coulter's wild cabbage *'' Caulanthus crassicaulis'' - thickstem wild cabbage *'' Caulanthus glaucus'' - glaucous wild cabbage *'' Caulanthus hallii'' - Hall's wild cabbage *'' Caulanthus heterophyllus'' - San Diego wild cabbage *'' Caulanthus inflatus'' - desert candle *'' Caulanthus major'' - slender wild cabbage *'' Caulanthus pilosus'' - hairy wild cabbage, chocolate drops *'' Caulanthus simulans'' - Payson's wild cabbage

Formerly included taxa

*'' Streptanthus anceps'' - Lemmon's mustard *'' Streptanthus flavescens'' - yellow mustard *'' Streptanthus lasiophyllus'' - California mustard

External links

Jepson Manual TreatmentUSDA Plants Profile
{{Taxonbar, from=Q2714589 Brassicaceae genera Flora of Northern America