Flora of North America species comparison

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Braya humilis subsp. maccallae

Braya humilis subsp. ellesmerensis
Photo is of parent taxon

dwarf braya, maccall's dwarf braya, mccalla's dwarf braya
Photo is of parent taxon
Stems

ascending to erect, often unbranched, 0.4–2.3 dm, moderately pubescent.

usually ascending (prostrate in fruit), unbranched, 0.3–1.6 dm, moderately pubescent.
Leaves

blade margins entire or, sometimes, sinuate-dentate, surfaces glabrescent to moderately pubescent.

blade margins pinnatifid or entire, surfaces moderately pubescent.
Flowers

petals white, (4.4–)4.9–6.7(–7.2) × (2.1–)2.3–4(–4.2) mm.

petals white or purple-tinged, (3–)4–5.6 × (1.3–)2–3.3(–3.8) mm.
Fruits

often abortive, somewhat torulose, 0.7–1.2 mm wide when fully developed;

septum not fenestrate or split longitudinally.

usually fertile and fully developed, not or weakly torulose, (1–)1.2–1.8(–2) mm wide;

septum often fenestrate (with circular perforations at regular intervals longitudinally or with a narrow, elliptical, longitudinal split at base or both).
2n

= 28.

= 42.

Braya humilis subsp. maccallae

Braya humilis subsp. ellesmerensis
Phenology Flowering May–Jul. Flowering Jun–Jul, fruiting Jul–Aug.
Habitat Sandy gravelly riverbanks and floodplains, sometimes on slopes and glacial moraines Sand, clay, and gravel slopes and plains
Elevation 1500-3000 m (4900-9800 ft) 0-200 m (0-700 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
AB; BC
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
NU
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Subspecies maccallae differs from subspp. elesmerensis and humilis in having leaf margins mostly entire, flowers exceptionally large, and a high percentage of abortive fruit. Cauline leaves are much reduced and arise from the base of the stem, giving an almost acaulescent appearance to the plant. Breeding studies (J. G. Harris 1985) indicate that subspp. maccallae and porsildii are self-incompatible, while most subspecies of Braya humilis are strongly autogamous.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

Prostrate fruiting stems, exceptionally broad, non-torulose fruits, and fenestrate silique septae distinguish subsp. ellesmerensis from other subspecies of Braya humilis. It is known only from northern Ellesmere Island.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Source FNA vol. 7, p. 550. FNA vol. 7, p. 550.
Parent taxa Brassicaceae > tribe Euclidieae > Braya > Braya humilis Brassicaceae > tribe Euclidieae > Braya > Braya humilis
Sibling taxa
B. humilis subsp. ellesmerensis, B. humilis subsp. humilis, B. humilis subsp. porsildii
B. humilis subsp. humilis, B. humilis subsp. maccallae, B. humilis subsp. porsildii
Name authority J. G. Harris: Novon 16: 346. (2006) J. G. Harris: Novon 16: 345. (2006)
Web links 
Unless otherwise noted, all data comes from the online version of the Flora of North America, who have made most of their content available via a Creative Commons license (CC BY 4.0).



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