4. Caulanthus californicus (S. Watson) Payson, Ann. Missouri Bot. Gard. 9: 299. 1923; Stanfordia californica S. Watson, Bot. Calif. 2: 479. 1880; Streptanthus californicus (S. Watson) Greene, Fl. Francisc. 256. 1891. TYPE: United States, California, near Tulare, A. E. Bush s.n. (holotype, GH!).

Herbs, annual, hispid with simple trichomes, glabrous above, sometimes glaucous. Stems 0.9–5.5 dm, erect to subdecumbent, often branched above, sparsely hispid basally. Basal leaves rosulate; petiole 0.3–3.5 cm; blade oblanceolate, 0.7–8 x 0.3–2.5 cm, hispid, margin coarsely dentate, occasionally somewhat pinnatifid; middle cauline leaves sessile, oblong or sometimes suborbicular to obovate, 0.6–7.5 x 0.3–5.5 cm, gradually reduced in size upwards, glabrous, base amplexicaul, margin coarsely dentate or entire. Racemes with a terminal cluster of sterile flowers, ebracteate, densely flowered, elongated in fruit; fruiting pedicels reflexed, 2–11 mm, pubescent or rarely glabrous. Sepals dark purple in bud, purplish green after anthesis, ovate-lanceolate, 4–9(–11) ´ 2.5–3.5 mm, erect to ascending, unequal and adaxial sepal longest, keeled; petals white with purple veins, 5.5–12 mm; blade 2–5 x 1–2 mm, crisped; claw narrowly oblong to lanceolate, 3.5–8 x 2.5–4 mm; filaments in 3 unequal pairs, free or adaxial pair connate and 5–9 mm, abaxial pair 3–8 mm, lateral pair 2–7 mm; anthers oblong, 1–3.5 mm; ovules 46–100 per ovary. Fruits 1.7–5 cm ´ 3.5–6 mm, erect or reflexed, angustiseptate, often straight; valves with a prominent midvein; style 0.2–2.7 mm; stigma strongly 2-lobed, lobes to 2 mm, opposite valves. Seeds 1–1.6 mm in diam.; cotyledons deeply 3-fid.

Flowering: Feb–Apr.

Habitat: grassland, juniper woodland.

Elevation: 100–1000 m.

Distribution: United States (S California/Fresno, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara counties).