The small, bell-shaped flowers that dangle like gems in dazzling hues of yellow, maroon, purple, brown and white give jewelflowers their name. Yet these plants, from the genera Streptanthus and Caulanthus, belong to the humble mustard family. Native to California, more than 60 species dot the state’s myriad landscapes, splashing the hillsides of the Sierras, prettifying arid deserts, splattering the grasslands with colors, and bedazzling coastlines. Most species are highly endemic. For instance, Farnworth’s jewelflower (Streptanthus farnsworthianus) lives in the foothills of the Sierra Mountains, and the Mount Tamalpais jewelflower (Streptanthus batrachopus) grows around the peak just north of San Francisco — and nowhere else. These plants originated in arid southwestern deserts some 2 million to 5 million years ago. Over time, they spread northward, thriving in various climates and at different altitudes, from Baja California to Oregon. Much of California has a Mediterranean climate, where summers are hot and dry; it rains during the cooler months, from fall to spring — quite different from the dry deserts the plants come from. Until now, scientists thought jewelflowers moved into new territories by evolving and adapting to a range of temperatures and rainfall patterns. But they wondered if there was another reason for their successful move to new landscapes. A recent study found an unexpected answer: Yes, jewelflowers evolved to survive in different habitats, but not nearly as much as scientists had thought. Instead, they changed their habits. These plants adjusted their schedules, altering the timing of when they sprouted and…This article was originally published on Mongabay

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