Aubrieta deltoidea

Plants forming mats or cushions; densely pubescent, trichomes stellate, mixed with fewer, setiform and forked ones. Stems several from base (caudex), ascending to procumbent, 0.7-3(-5) dm, pubescent. Basal leaves: petiole 0.1-1 cm; blade obovate, oblanceolate, or rhombic, (0.5-)1-3(-4.5) cm × (2-)4-13(-20) mm, base cuneate to attenuate, margins entire or 1-3 teeth on each side, surfaces densely pubescent. Cauline leaves: petiolate or (distalmost) sessile; blade similar to basal. Racemes 1-13-flowered, (lax). Fruiting pedicels erect to ascending, 5-12(-16) mm. Flowers: sepals 6-10 × 1-1.5 mm; petals (10-)15-28 × 4-7(-8) mm, (attenuate to claw, 5-12 mm); filaments 5-10 mm; anthers 1.2-1.6 mm. Fruits terete or slightly flattened, 0.7-2(-2.8) cm × 2-4(-4.8) mm; valves: trichomes long-setiform and forked, mixed with smaller, stellate ones; style 4-12 mm. Seeds 1.2-16 × 0.7-1 mm. 2n = 16.

Flowering Apr-Jun. Rock crevices; ca. 1600 m; introduced; Calif.; s Europe (Mediterranean region); sw Asia; nw Africa.

Aubrieta deltoidea is known as an escape from the Mt. Hull area at the Mendocino-Lake counties boundary. It is highly variable in its native range, and several infraspecific taxa have been recognized.