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Rocky Mountain snowlover

Tweedy's snowlover

Stems

1 or 2(or 3), (3–)5–12(–15) cm, puberulent or retrorsely hairy, sometimes glabrate.

1–4, (5–)10–18(–25) cm, glabrous or sparsely glandular-pubescent.

Leaves

basal and proximal cauline, blade oblanceolate to narrowly oblanceolate or spatulate, 12–78 × 2–18 mm, surfaces glabrous or glabrate;

cauline 1–3 pairs, blade narrowly lanceolate to linear, 8–28 × 1–3 mm.

basal and proximal cauline, blade oblanceolate, (8–)25–90 × (1–)3–13 mm, surfaces glabrous;

cauline 1–4 pairs, blade narrowly lanceolate to linear, 2–22 × 1–3 mm.

Racemes

1–5 cm, verticillasters 2–7, continuous, sparsely puberulent and, usually, sparsely glandular-puberulent;

bracts ovate to lanceolate, proximal ones 8–19 × 4–7 mm.

1–7 cm, verticillasters 4–10, interrupted, glandular-pubescent;

bracts lanceolate, proximal ones 3–9 × 1–3 mm.

Pedicels

0–4 mm, glabrous or sparsely glandular-pubescent.

0–7 mm, glandular-pubescent.

Flowers

calyx tube 8–9 mm, sparsely glandular-puberulent, lobes triangular, 1.5–2.5 × 2–2.5 mm;

corolla greenish white or creamy white, 10–15 mm, glabrous externally, palate and proximal parts of abaxial limb densely white-lanate, hairs to 1.5 mm, tube 3–4 mm, pollen sacs 0.5–0.6 mm, explanate;

staminode 5–7 mm;

style 10–12 mm.

calyx tube 1–2 mm, glandular-pubescent, lobes triangular to narrowly ovate, 2.5–3 × 1.4–2 mm;

corolla pale lavender, 9–14 mm, glabrous externally, palate and proximal parts of abaxial limb glandular-pubescent, hairs to 0.1 mm, tube 1–2 mm, pollen sacs 0.3–0.4 mm, explanate;

staminode 4–5 mm;

style 6–7 mm.

Capsules

8–9.5 × 4.5–6 mm.

6.5–9 × 4–5 mm.

Seeds

tan to brown, ellipsoid to fusiform with tail on each end, 3–4.2 mm.

brown, elliptic-disciform, 2.4–3 mm.

2n

= 16.

Chionophila jamesii

Chionophila tweedyi

Phenology Flowering Jun–Aug. Flowering Jun–Aug.
Habitat Gravelly slopes, alpine meadows, subalpine bogs. Talus slopes, meadows, usually near timber lines.
Elevation 3300–4100 m. (10800–13500 ft.) 2100–3200 m. (6900–10500 ft.)
Distribution
from FNA
CO; NM; WY
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
ID; MT
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Chionophila jamesii occurs in the central Rocky Mountains from the Medicine Bow Mountains of south-central Wyoming to the Culebra Range in Taos County in north-central New Mexico.

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

Chionophila tweedyi is known from central Idaho and southwestern Montana.

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

Source FNA vol. 17, p. 61. FNA vol. 17, p. 62.
Parent taxa Plantaginaceae > Chionophila Plantaginaceae > Chionophila
Sibling taxa
C. tweedyi
C. jamesii
Synonyms Penstemon tweedyi, Pentstemonopsis tweedyi
Name authority Bentham: in A. P. de Candolle and A. L. P. P. de Candolle, Prodr. 10: 331. (1846) (Canby & Rose) L. F. Henderson: Bull. Torrey Bot. Club 27: 352. (1900)
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