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Physaria alpestris

alpine twin-pod, Washington bladder-pod, Washington twin-pod

double bladderpod, double twinpod

Habit Perennials; caudex usually simple, rarely branched, (cespitose); (silvery) pubescent throughout, trichomes several-rayed, rays (1- or) 2-bifurcate, (low-umbonate, tubercles relatively few, small). Perennials; (somewhat compact); caudex branched, (relatively large); (silvery) pubescent throughout, trichomes (sessile), several-rayed, rays furcate, (slightly umbonate, tuberculate throughout).
Stems

several from base, decumbent to ascending, (unbranched), 0.5–1.5 dm.

several from base, decumbent to ascending (arising laterally, unbranched, stout), (0.2–)0.5–1.7 dm.

Basal leaves

(petiole slender);

blade obovate, 3–5 cm (width 10–20 mm, base tapering abruptly to petiole), margins entire, (apex rarely slightly acute).

(petiole somewhat winged);

blades orbicular to obovate, 2–6 cm (width 1–2.5 cm, thick), margins usually repand, rarely entire, (adaxial surface scurfy).

Cauline leaves

blade oblanceolate, 0.5–1.5 cm (width 3–5 mm), margins entire.

blade oblanceolate to broadly spatulate, 1–2 cm (width 3–5 mm), margins entire, (apex obtuse to subacute).

Racemes

subcorymbose.

moderately dense (or elongated).

Flowers

sepals oblong, 8–10 mm;

petals spatulate, 12–14 mm.

sepals linear-oblong, 6–8 mm;

petals spatulate, 9–12 mm.

Fruiting pedicels

(divaricate, straight), 5–10 mm.

(divergent, straight to somewhat curved or sigmoid), 5–12 mm.

Fruits

didymous, mostly highly inflated (strongly flattened at least in 1/2 toward replum), 14–18 × 14–18 mm, (papery, basal sinus slightly notched, apical open, shallow);

valves (retaining seeds after dehiscence), evenly pubescent;

replum lanceolate, 7–10 mm, width 1.5–2.5 mm, as wide as or wider than fruit, apex acute to acuminate;

ovules 8–10 per ovary;

style 5–7 mm.

(erect), didymous, cordate, moderately inflated, (6–)10–20 × 10–23 mm, (papery, base obtuse or with obscure sinus, apical sinus deep, broad);

valves (retaining seeds after dehiscence), densely and loosely pubescent, trichomes spreading;

replum linear-oblong, constricted, as wide as or wider than fruit;

ovules 4 per ovary;

style 4–5(–9) mm.

Seeds

flattened, (2–3 mm).

plump, (broad).

2n

= 48–52, 52, 64, 67–70.

= 8, 16.

Physaria alpestris

Physaria brassicoides

Phenology Flowering May–Jun. Flowering May–Jun.
Habitat Alpine scree, rocky ridges, talus slopes, volcanic sands and gravel, serpentine gravel, granitic slopes, mountain shrub, subalpine fir, and whitebark pine communities Bare hillsides, dry gravel and clay soil, badlands, clay knolls, banks
Elevation (700-)1300-2400 m ((2300-)4300-7900 ft) 900-1400 m (3000-4600 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
WA
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
CO; MT; ND; NE; SD; WY
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Source FNA vol. 7, p. 624. FNA vol. 7, p. 628.
Parent taxa Brassicaceae > tribe Physarieae > Physaria Brassicaceae > tribe Physarieae > Physaria
Sibling taxa
P. acutifolia, P. alpina, P. angustifolia, P. arctica, P. arenosa, P. argyraea, P. arizonica, P. aurea, P. bellii, P. brassicoides, P. calcicola, P. calderi, P. carinata, P. chambersii, P. cinerea, P. condensata, P. congesta, P. cordiformis, P. curvipes, P. densiflora, P. didymocarpa, P. dornii, P. douglasii, P. eburniflora, P. engelmannii, P. eriocarpa, P. fendleri, P. filiformis, P. floribunda, P. fremontii, P. garrettii, P. geyeri, P. globosa, P. gooddingii, P. gordonii, P. gracilis, P. grahamii, P. hemiphysaria, P. hitchcockii, P. humilis, P. integrifolia, P. intermedia, P. kingii, P. klausii, P. lata, P. lepidota, P. lesicii, P. lindheimeri, P. ludoviciana, P. macrocarpa, P. mcvaughiana, P. montana, P. multiceps, P. navajoensis, P. nelsonii, P. newberryi, P. obcordata, P. obdeltata, P. occidentalis, P. oregona, P. ovalifolia, P. pachyphylla, P. pallida, P. parviflora, P. parvula, P. pendula, P. pinetorum, P. prostrata, P. pruinosa, P. pulvinata, P. purpurea, P. pycnantha, P. rectipes, P. recurvata, P. reediana, P. rollinsii, P. saximontana, P. scrotiformis, P. sessilis, P. spatulata, P. subumbellata, P. tenella, P. thamnophila, P. tumulosa, P. valida, P. vicina, P. vitulifera
P. acutifolia, P. alpestris, P. alpina, P. angustifolia, P. arctica, P. arenosa, P. argyraea, P. arizonica, P. aurea, P. bellii, P. calcicola, P. calderi, P. carinata, P. chambersii, P. cinerea, P. condensata, P. congesta, P. cordiformis, P. curvipes, P. densiflora, P. didymocarpa, P. dornii, P. douglasii, P. eburniflora, P. engelmannii, P. eriocarpa, P. fendleri, P. filiformis, P. floribunda, P. fremontii, P. garrettii, P. geyeri, P. globosa, P. gooddingii, P. gordonii, P. gracilis, P. grahamii, P. hemiphysaria, P. hitchcockii, P. humilis, P. integrifolia, P. intermedia, P. kingii, P. klausii, P. lata, P. lepidota, P. lesicii, P. lindheimeri, P. ludoviciana, P. macrocarpa, P. mcvaughiana, P. montana, P. multiceps, P. navajoensis, P. nelsonii, P. newberryi, P. obcordata, P. obdeltata, P. occidentalis, P. oregona, P. ovalifolia, P. pachyphylla, P. pallida, P. parviflora, P. parvula, P. pendula, P. pinetorum, P. prostrata, P. pruinosa, P. pulvinata, P. purpurea, P. pycnantha, P. rectipes, P. recurvata, P. reediana, P. rollinsii, P. saximontana, P. scrotiformis, P. sessilis, P. spatulata, P. subumbellata, P. tenella, P. thamnophila, P. tumulosa, P. valida, P. vicina, P. vitulifera
Synonyms Lesquerella alpestris
Name authority Suksdorf: W. Amer. Sci. 15: 58. (1906) Rydberg: Bull. Torrey Bot. Club 29: 237. (1902)
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