''Boechera ophira'' (formerly ''Arabis ophira'') is a rare species of flowering plant in the

mustard family Brassicaceae () or (the older) Cruciferae () is a medium-sized and economically important family of flowering plants commonly known as the mustards, the crucifers, or the cabbage family. Most are herbaceous plants, while some are shrubs. The le ...

known by the common name Ophir Pass rockcress, or Ophir rockcress. It is endemic to Nevada in the United States, where it is known from Nye and Lander Counties. It grows on the crest of the Toiyabe Range.''Arabis ophira''.
The Nature Conservancy. This long-lived perennial

herb In general use, herbs are a widely distributed and widespread group of plants, excluding vegetables and other plants consumed for macronutrients, with savory or aromatic properties that are used for flavoring and garnishing food, for medicinal ...

produces hairy stems up to 14 centimeters tall from a woody

caudex A caudex (plural: caudices) of a plant is a stem, but the term is also used to mean a rootstock and particularly a basal stem structure from which new growth arises.pages 456 and 695 In the strict sense of the term, meaning a stem, "caudex" is m ...

. There are narrow, hairy leaves around the stem bases and a few higher on the stems. The inflorescence is a

raceme A raceme ( or ) or racemoid is an unbranched, indeterminate type of inflorescence bearing flowers having short floral stalks along the shoots that bear the flowers. The oldest flowers grow close to the base and new flowers are produced as the s ...

of 6 to 15 flowers with purple petals. The fruit is a straight silique up to 4 centimeters long.''Boechera ophira''.
Flora of North America. This plant grows in subalpine climates at the crest of the Toiyabe mountain range on clay soils covered in loose quartzite scree. It grows in sagebrush habitat alongside '' Artemisia arbuscula'', ''

Leptodactylon pungens ''Linanthus pungens'' ( syn. ''Leptodactylon pungens'') is a species of flowering plant in the phlox family known by the common names granite prickly-phlox and granite gilia. It is native to western North America from British Columbia to Baja C ...

'', and various grasses. There are only five known occurrences of this plant, for a total of fewer than 200 individuals. The habitat is rugged and difficult to explore so more plants may exist.

References

ophira Flora of Nevada Flora of Northern America {{Brassicales-stub