Common Name: Hairystem Rockcress, Sicklepod Rockcress

SYN: (Arabis sparsiflora var. subvillosa and A. holboellii var. pinetorum)

Sometime after 2002 most of the Genus Arabis along with the species Arabis sparsiflora and A. holboellii were transferred over to genus Boechera based on genetic information. At that point it got complicated. Some varieties of A. sparsiflora and A. holboellii were considered separate species and the others were split between Boechera sparsiflora and B. pauciflora. The descriptions given by Flora of North America (FNA), for these two species are almost identical making their use almost worthless. (See http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=1&taxon_id=104152 for a detailed review)

For Washington State flowers two species were combined into B. pauciflora
A. sparsiflora var. subvillosa
A. holboellii var. pinetorum

The other WA state specie varieties were made into separate species:
A. sparsiflora var. atrorubens: ---- B. atrorubens
A. holboellii var. pendulocarpa: -- B. pedulocarpa
A. holboellii var. holboellii: ----- B. pedulocarpa
A. holboellii var. retrofracta: ---- B. retrofracta


B. pauciflora
covers the old
A. sparsiflora var. subvillosa
A. sparsiflora var. columbiana
A. perelegans
A. holboellii var. pinetorum

Densely pubescent stems, 14-60 clasping stem leaves, horizontal fruiting pedicles, lavender to whitish petals. Found west coast at 600 - 2500m elevation. (Hybridized between B. retrofracta and B. sparsiflora, (syn. A. holboellii var. pinetorum) [from Flora of North America]

To help in identify which flowers are which the following are H&C's descriptions:

A. sparsiflora var. subvillosa:
Petals are pink to purplish, pedicles are strongly hirsute (hairy).
Found east side of Cascades from WA to CA at low to high elevations.

A. holboellii var. pinetorum:
Petals are white to pinkish-purple, pedicles are uniformly recurved, stems and leaves have dense fine hairs (pubescent).
Found east side of Cascades from WA to CA at low to high elevations.

east Central Cascades
TRAIL: Umtanum Ridge; Red Top Mtn.
HABITAT: Shrub-steppe;
ELEVATION: 595 m (1,950 ft.); 1,625 m (5,330 ft.)
BLOOM TIME: 22-APR; 21-JUN