This plant of the Cabbage (Brassicaceae) family is a camouflage champion; notwithstanding its abundant flowering it is difficult to find it where it grows between mosses and small grasses.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLPLn22ZjTnhf1_GZWcDMH_IVWKqSqUhb2asdP-9TUmahFmXcnPCWtq_59dvJQFq0ryJyF3GFW_l7NCaX28id4HRrVez_YBXrd4_4n7rE2lHyiFugcfe4yUCjCnJiOCYLiNhNkp859U30/s640/hornungia+petraea-201126za-bl.jpg)
Sometimes it is really really tiny.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicSHZRxdhAqtfCXm-H9Ni5vBBpt48P64g2gPeUFfr-hPwWdn-UwgNf8Z1JAUEO7Wo-9fpymaQklcxE1wE2aqxtCXmJIcYN6aedCitUtg9INOw5yjedYkh2bWCVK-GOuw9JWr1wSmHu56I/s640/hornungia+petraea-196521zc-bl.jpg)
Also, it flowers only during a short time, even if there are many flowers.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN9ZFADqZqgZvZfiHZ6a34VuHqjTDCLo3kPIa3s_c1-N7xOIsrr2pD1lGIQI2WmRlkEYXR57MPYOTf6C404NOzPEiAM10iufMIFxUflDHsP_zbfiGJAh6X77jCGw7gtrfLQ5VlDxGBHbc/s640/hornungia+petraea-201154za.jpg)
In its natural habitat, between rocks and stones and scree on a dry limestone slope you don't suspect the presence of many plants. And it is also rare in Perigord.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhicZ4N6xi_sPTj3CVmWd_yaT0SCqTnLVunaTuDPCzClfTi3cGk0xlYXLfH708xT9atyTOAGaQo0FC5MuCk3pYnCO6pJogAjsH2U8zKeUGnaDNqlIkPYJ8712mCK7GKx1n6bybeNEJK0jQ/s640/hornungia+petraea-201170z.jpg)
For all those reasons you don't find too often Hutchinsia (Horningia petraea).
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5KX0iLfZwPtfuOnhegWztztt7PqlfZzMCAXHjM_6BJDDhI_QNum_QBECrJdf44gwGOTiM8MshoYavXRZG1QhS9k3tTU4czBPP2IpotQm1r1k2Gt3d8sz1nJM7BwMvb0nKMSuuCeqtgJA/s640/hornungia+petraea-201145zaa-bl.jpg)
But now it flowers already in February; the weather is simply too good for not doing it. Hutchinsia has a rosette of deeply incised leaves sometimes a bit reddish. The flowers have four white petals, between which the oval spoon-shaped fruits can already be seen. Everything goes very quickly with the little spring Brassicaceae!