Photo © Al Schneider, www.swcoloradowildflowers.com

Photo © Al Schneider, www.swcoloradowildflowers.com

Photo © Alicia Lafever

Photo © Al Schneider, www.swcoloradowildflowers.com

Photo © Al Schneider, www.swcoloradowildflowers.com

Prince's Plume

Stanleya pinnata var. pinnata

Family: Brassicaceae (A Utah Flora - Cruciferae) – Mustard Family

Perennial herbs; stems 9.8” to 4.9' (2.5 to 15 dm) tall or more

Leaves: alternate and basal; simple; can have hairs; entire to lobed; 2” to 7.2” (5 to 18 cm) long, 0.8” to 2” (2 to 5 cm) wide or more

Flowers: 4 yellow petals in the shape of a cross or crucifer; 4 sepals; usually 6 stamens (with 2 outer shorter than the inner 4) extending above the petals; 1 pistil; flowers in racemes growing on long stalks; usually radially symmetrical; petals 0.44” to 0.68” (11 to 17 mm) long; nectar glands commonly 4

Pollinators: insects

Fruits: silique - a pod with 2 compartments with a thin partition

Blooms in Arches National Park: April, May, June, July, August, September, October

Habitat in Arches National Park: desert shrub and pinyon-juniper communities; associated with soils containing selenium derived from fine- textured sedimentary rocks (shales, mudstones and siltstones).

Location seen: park road mile 0 to 2.5, Park Avenue , park road mile 5.5, lower Courthouse wash, Hwy. 191 at Courthouse wash

Other: The genus name, “Stanleya”, honors British naturalist Lord Stanley, 13th Early of Derby. The species name, “pinnata”, means “feather-shaped, pinnate” and refers to the deeply dissected leaves.

Many plants in this family are weeds and they flower early because they are annual. Many vegetables are in this family– radish, cabbage, cauliflower. A few species of plants in this family are poisonous to livestock.