About Streptanthus bracteatus A.Gray
Streptanthus bracteatus, also commonly called bracted jewelflower and bracted twistflower, is a flowering plant species in the mustard family. It is endemic to Texas in the United States, specifically native to the Balcones Escarpment on the Edwards Plateau in Texas. This is an annual or biennial hairless herb, generally waxy in texture, that produces a branching stem growing up to 1.2 meters tall. Its basal leaves have lobed or toothed blades borne on long petioles, while leaves positioned higher on the stem have smooth or toothed edges. The inflorescence is a raceme that holds both flowers and bracts. Each flower has a bell-shaped calyx made of sepals, plus four purple petals that can reach nearly 2 centimeters in length. The fruit produced by this plant is a long, flattened silique that can grow up to 14.5 centimeters long. The species grows on clay soils across several habitat types, and can often be found in areas protected from herbivory by a dense layer of shrubs. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has listed bracted twistflower as a threatened species.
