33. Streptanthus tortuosus Kellogg, Proc. Calif. Acad. Sci. 2: 152. 1863; Disaccanthus tortuosus (Kellogg) O. E. Schulz in Engler & Harms, Nat. Pflanzenfam. Ed. 2, 17B: 302. 1936; Erysimum tortuosum (Kellogg) Kuntze, Revis. Gen. Pl. 1: 29. 1891; Pleiocardia tortuosa (Kellogg) Greene, Leafl. Bot. Observ. Crit. 1: 86. 1904. TYPE: United States, California, “from the copper region of the Sierra Nevada Mountains,” C. D. Gibbs s.n. (holotype, xx).
Streptanthus foliosus Greene, Pittonia 3: 226. 1897; Pleiocardia foliosa (Greene) Greene, Leafl. Bot. Obser. Crit. 1: 86. 1904. TYPE: United States, California, Fresno Co., without locality, 1888, Peckinpah s.n. (lectotype here designated, NDG 1835!; isolectotype, NDG 1836!).
S. orbiculatus Greene, Fl. Francisc. 258. 1891; Pleiocardia orbiculata (Greene) Greene, Leafl. Bot. Observ. Crit. 1: 86. 1904; S. tortuosus var. orbiculatus (Greene) H. M. Hall, Univ. Calif. Publ. Bot. 4: 197. 1912. TYPE: U.S.A. United States, California, Mt. Diablo, F. P. McLean s.n. (lectotype here designated, NDG).
S. sanhedrensis Eastwood, Proc. Calif. Acad. Sci., ser. 4, 20: 146. 1931. TYPE: United States, California, Lake Co., trail to Mt. Sanhedrin from Dashiels, 22 May 1925, Alice Eastwood 12928 (holotype, CAS!; isotype, GH!).
S. suffrutescens Greene, Erythea 1: 147. 1893; Pleiocardia suffrutescens (Greene) Greene, Leafl. Bot. Observ. Crit. 1: 86: 1904; S. tortuosus var. suffrutescens (Greene) Jepson, Jepson, Man. Fl. Pl. Calif. 418. 1925. TYPE: United States, California, Sonoma Co., Hood’s Peak, 30 May 1893, F. T. Bioletti s.n. (holotype, xxx; isotype, CAS!). In the original description, Greene cited Bioletti as the collector from the above locality, but the
S. tortuosus var. flavescens Jepson, Man. Fl. Pl. Calif. 418. 1925. TYPE: United States, California, Mulkey Meadow to Three Rivers, Coyote Pass trail, 8000 ft, 25 Jul 1900, Willis L. Jepson 982 (holotype, JEPS!).
S. tortuosus var. oblongus Jepson, Man. Fl. Pl. Calif. 418. 1925. TYPE: United States, California, Trinity Co., Burnt Ranch, 1300 ft., 9 Jul 1922, Joseph P. Tracy 6099 (lectotype, JEPS 2887!; isolectotype, JEPS2886!). The two sheets above were both marked in Jepson’s handwriting as type. The more complete one is designated herein as the lectoype, thus agreeing with D.W. Taylor who marked it in 1994 as the lectotype)
S. tortuosus var. optatus Jepson, Fl. Calif. 2: 31. 1936. TYPE: United States, California: Madera Co., Fresno Big Trees, 7 Aug. 1931, ca. 5700 ft, Willis L. Jepson 15990 [as 15998 in publ.] (holotype, JEPS 2888!; isotype, JEPS 54008!).
S. tortuosus var. pallidus Jepson, Fl. Calif. 2: 30. 1936. TYPE: United States, California: Trinity Co., Junction City, 1500 ft, 31 May 1926, Joseph P. Tracy 7534 (holotype, UC!).
Herbs, biennial or short-lived perennial, glabrous throughout, glaucous. Stems (0.5–)1.5–12(–15) dm, simple or highly branched about base and above. Basal leaves subrosulate, petiolate, soon withered, broadly ovate, obovate or oblong, 1.5–6 cm, entire to repand or dentate above middle; middle cauline leaves oblong to obovate or subrobicular, (0.7–)1.5–6(–9) x (0.4–)1–4.5 cm, sessile, auriculate to amplexicaul; upper leaves orbicular to oblong-ovate, amplexicaul. Racemes bracteate below or between lowermost 1 or 2 flowers, without a terminal cluster of sterile flowers, lax to compact, secund or not; fruiting pedicels divaricate to ascending, (2–)3–12(–17) mm, expanded at receptacle. Flowers: sepals forming urceolate calyx, purplish, gray-green, or yellowish, keeled or not, 6–10(–13) mm, recurved at apex; petals purplish or yellowish white, usually with purple veins, (6–)8–14 mm, reflexed at apex; blade 2–5 x 1–2.5 mm, not crisped; claw 4–10 mm, as wide as or wider than blade; filaments in 3 pairs of unequal length, free; adaxial pair (5–)7–11 mm; abaxial pair (2.5–)4–7 mm; lateral pair (1.5–)3–5 mm; anthers of all stamens fertile or adaxial pair with reduced fertility and shorter, (1.5–)2.5–4.5(–6) mm. Fruits (3–)4–13(–16) cm x 1.5–2.5(–3) mm, arcuate-spreading to pendent, flattened, torulose or smooth; valves glabrous, with obscure or somewhat distinct midvein; gynophore 0.2–1 mm; replum straight; style 0.4–0.7 mm; stigma entire; ovules and seeds 26–76(–110) per fruit. Seeds broadly oblong to ovate or orbicular, 1.5–2.5 x 0.8–1.7 mm; wing continuous or on distal half, 0.1–0.5 mm wide. 2n = 28.
Flowering: Apr–Sep.
Habitat: rocky open slopes, open woodlands montane forests, alpine areas.
Elevation: 200–4100 m.
Distribution: United States (California, Nevada, Oregon).