Page author: David Giblin
Rorippa columbiae
Columbia yellowcress cress
Specimens
Photos

Distribution: Occurring east of the Cascades crest in south-central Washington; Washington to California.

Habitat: Stream banks and gravel bars, pond margins, meadows, and roadsides.

Flowers: May-August

Origin: Native

Growth Duration: Perennial

Conservation Status: Threatened in Washington (WANHP)

Pollination: Bees, flies, butterflies

Description:
General:

Rhizomatous perennial, with short, blunt hairs throughout, the freely-branched stems decumbent to erect, 1-4 dm. tall.

Leaves:

Leaves alternate, 3-7 cm. long, pinnatifid to lyrate pinnatifid, the lower ones petiolate, the upper sessile and auriculate, the segments ovate to oblong, often toothed.

Flowers:

Inflorescence of bractless racemes; pedicles spreading to ascending, 4-8 mm. long; sepals 4, persisting after flowering; petals 4, light yellow, 4 mm. long; stamens 6; style 1-2 mm. long, stigma entire.

Fruits:

Siliques oblong, 4-7 mm. long and 2-2.5 mm. broad, ascending to erect, somewhat curved, soft-pubescent; seeds in 2 series.

Accepted Name:
Rorippa columbiae (S. Watson) Howell
Publication: Fl. N.W. Amer. 40. (as Roripa). 1897.

Synonyms & Misapplications:
Nasturtium columbiae (S. Watson) Suksd.
Nasturtium sinuatum Nutt. var. columbiae S. Watson
Radicula columbiae (S. Watson) Greene
Rorippa calycina (Engelm.) Rydb. var. columbiae (S. Watson) Rollins [HC]
Rorippa sinuata (Nutt.) Hitchc. var. columbiae (S. Watson) Howell
Additional Resources:

PNW Herbaria: Specimen records of Rorippa columbiae in the Consortium of Pacific Northwest Herbaria database.

WA Flora Checklist: Rorippa columbiae checklist entry.

OregonFlora: Rorippa columbiae information.

E-Flora BC: Rorippa columbiae atlas page.

CalPhotos: Rorippa columbiae photos.

USDA Plants: Rorippa columbiae information.

23 photographs:
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