Synonyms: Lesquerella lepidota Cory

Distribution: White and Sacramento Mountains of south central New Mexico, then southward through the Guadalupe Mountains to Hudspeth County, Texas (Rollins 1993).

Habitat: Limestone soils, steep slopes, roadcuts, open woods (Rollins 1993).

Plants Seen or Cited: Several specimens at UNM, all but one from New Mexico.

Otero county:

1. Gierisch (det. Wagner). No. 3673. 24 June 1976. Mayhill Administration Site.

2. W. Haggren. No. 507. 13 May 1978. 6400 ft. Sacramento Mountains, southwest of Elk on NM-82, T16S, R16E, sec 13.

3. Fletcher. No. 4339. 23 May 1980. 7000 ft. West side Sacramento Mountains, Ranchario Canyon, T14S, R11E, sec 23 NW 1/4.

Lincoln county (more at UNM than listed below):

4. Wagner & Sabo. No. 3088. 7 June 1977. Forest Road 56, in ponderosa pine.

5. Wagner & Sabo. No. 3093. 6 June 1977. 2150 m. One mile (north) of Angus on highway 48.

6. Sivinski & Cully. No. 1397. 14 May 1990. 6900 ft. On forest Service land near southeast corner of Fort Stanton on limestone, T10S, R15E, sec 2 se 1/4.

Eddy county:

7. Lightfoot. No. L-92-7. 22 April 1992. Guadalupe Mountains, Dark Canyon Lookout, T25S, R30E, sec 12 & 13.

Culberson county, Texas:

8. McKechnie (det. Rollins & Shaw). Sn. 12 May 1957. McKittrick Canyon.

Discussion: The taxonomic status of this plant, as well as several other apparently rare members of the genus in New Mexico, is in need of more thorough study. As it now stands, the numerous collections and relatively large range in several mountain ranges indicate that this plant is not particularly rare in New Mexico.

Recommendation: Leave on L4 (too common and/or possibly taxonomic problems).

Important Literature:

Rollins, R.C. 1993. The Cruciferae of continental North America. Stanford University Press, Stanford, CA. (page 661)

Rollins, R.C. and E.A. Shaw. 1973. The genus Lesquerella (Cruciferae) in North America. Harvard University Press, Cambridge MA. (pages 202-204, distribution map on page 129)

Information Compiled By: David L. Bleakly, 1998