Native Plants

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Loveless, Brenda K.

Lesquerella gracilis

Lesquerella gracilis (Hook.) S. Watson

Spreading Bladderpod, Cloth-of-gold

Brassicaceae (Mustard Family)

Synonym(s): Physaria gracilis

USDA Symbol: LEGR2

USDA Native Status: L48 (N)

Spreading Bladderpod or Cloth-of-gold is an upright or sprawling, hairy annual, to 28 in. Several stems are usually branched; the younger portions gray colored, the older portions less hairy and more green. Yellow flowers, sometimes streaked with orange near the base, occur in a short, dense, terminal spike.

Masses of this plant form solid sheets of yellow in early spring.

From the Image Gallery

4 photo(s) available in the Image Gallery

Plant Characteristics

Duration: Annual
Habit: Herb
Fruit Type: Silicle
Size Notes: Up to about 28 inches tall.

Bloom Information

Bloom Color: Orange , Yellow
Bloom Time: Mar , Apr , May
Bloom Notes: Yellow to orangish.

Distribution

USA: AL , AR , IL , KS , LA , MO , MS , NE , OK , TN , TX
Native Distribution: C. & s.c. TX, OK, MS & AR
Native Habitat: Prairies; pastures; roadsides; disturbed areas

Growing Conditions

Light Requirement: Sun
Soil Description: Sandy or calcareous, clay soils
Conditions Comments: Masses of this plant form solid sheets of yellow in early spring.

Benefit

Use Wildlife: Small, roundish fruit is eaten by the falcate orangetip butterfly.
Attracts: Butterflies
Larval Host: Falcate orangetip butterfly.

Butterflies and Moths of North America (BAMONA)

Falcate Orangetip
(Anthocharis midea)

Larval Host

Learn more at BAMONA

National Wetland Indicator Status

Region:	AGCP	AK	AW	CB	EMP	GP	HI	MW	NCNE	WMVE
Status:	FACW		FACW		UPL	FACW		UPL	UPL

This information is derived from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers National Wetland Plant List, Version 3.1 (Lichvar, R.W. 2013. The National Wetland Plant List: 2013 wetland ratings. Phytoneuron 2013-49: 1-241). Click here for map of regions.

Bibliography

Bibref 328 - Wildflowers of Texas (2003) Ajilvsgi, Geyata.

Search More Titles in Bibliography

Web Reference

Webref 38 - Flora of North America (2019) Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, MO & Harvard University Herbaria, Cambridge, MA.
Webref 23 - Southwest Environmental Information Network (2009) SEINet - Arizona Chapter

Additional resources

USDA: Find Lesquerella gracilis in USDA Plants
FNA: Find Lesquerella gracilis in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Lesquerella gracilis

Metadata

Record Modified: 2023-02-15
Research By: TWC Staff

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