''Erysimum franciscanum'', commonly known as the Franciscan wallflower or San Francisco wallflower, is a plant

endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found elsew ...

to the northern

California California is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, located along the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the List of states and territori ...

coast, from Sonoma to Santa Cruz Counties. It is a member of the genus ''

Erysimum ''Erysimum'', or wallflower, is a genus of flowering plants in the cabbage family, Brassicaceae. It includes more than 150 species, both popular garden plants and many wild forms. The genus ''Cheiranthus'' is sometimes included here in whole o ...

'' in the mustard

family Family (from la, familia) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its ...

, the

Brassicaceae 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 ...

. The plant is a

biennial Biennial means (an event) lasting for two years or occurring every two years. The related term biennium is used in reference to a period of two years. In particular, it can refer to: * Biennial plant, a plant which blooms in its second year and th ...

or short-lived

perennial A perennial plant or simply perennial is a plant that lives more than two years. The term ('' per-'' + '' -ennial'', "through the years") is often used to differentiate a plant from shorter-lived annuals and biennials. The term is also wide ...

.Dwyer, D
The Biogeography of the San Francisco Wallflower
/ref> The

flower A flower, sometimes known as a bloom or blossom, is the reproductive structure found in flowering plants (plants of the division Angiospermae). The biological function of a flower is to facilitate reproduction, usually by providing a mechani ...

s are cream-colored to yellow, with four sepals and four petals arranged in a cross shape, as is characteristic of the Brassicaceae.National Park Service: San Francisco Presidio
/ref> It flowers from late winter to late spring. The plant prefers open scrubby areas with a fair amount of sunlight, but can flourish on a range of

soil Soil, also commonly referred to as earth or dirt, is a mixture of organic matter, minerals, gases, liquids, and organisms that together support life. Some scientific definitions distinguish ''dirt'' from ''soil'' by restricting the former te ...

s including disintegrating serpentine, gravelly and sandy soils.The Nature Conservancy
/ref> It is fairly easily cultivated in gardens. Although not formally recognized as

endangered An endangered species is a species that is very likely to become extinct in the near future, either worldwide or in a particular political jurisdiction. Endangered species may be at risk due to factors such as habitat loss, poaching and inva ...

, the Franciscan wallflower has a limited, discontinuous distribution. It is monitored at the

Presidio of San Francisco The Presidio of San Francisco (originally, El Presidio Real de San Francisco or The Royal Fortress of Saint Francis) is a park and former U.S. Army post on the northern tip of the San Francisco Peninsula in San Francisco, California, and is part o ...

, which was also its type locality. The plant is propagated in a nursery there and then planted in its native habitat.

References

External links

Jepson Manual treatment for ''Erysimum franciscanum''USDA Plants Profile: ''Erysimum franciscanum''''Erysimum franciscanum'' - U.C. Photo gallery
{{Taxonbar, from=Q5396347 franciscanum Endemic flora of California Natural history of the California Coast Ranges