Smelowskia
Smelowskia media
candytuft, false candytuft, smelowskia
fernleaf false candytuft
erect to decumbent, unbranched or branched distally, densely pubescent.
several from base, unbranched, (0.2–)0.5–1.4(–1.8) dm, trichomes simple, 0.5–1.2 mm, mixed with smaller, dendritic ones.
basal and cauline;
petiolate or sessile;
basal rosulate, petiolate, blade margins usually 1- or 2-pinnatisect, rarely entire.
petiole 0.7–3.5 cm, ciliate, trichomes simple;
blade oblanceolate to obovate, or ovate to oblong in outline, (terminal segments linear, oblong, or ovate), 0.5–3 cm × 4–12 mm, (terminal segments 0.2–1.4 cm × 0.5–4 mm), margins usually pinnatifid, rarely apically 3 or 5-lobed, apex obtuse or subacute.
shortly petiolate or sessile;
blade similar to basal, smaller distally.
(corymbose, several-flowered), often considerably elongated in fruit.
elongated in fruit.
sepals (sometimes persistent), oblong [ovate];
petals spatulate to obovate or suborbicular, (longer than sepals), claw differentiated from blade, (apex rounded);
stamens slightly tetradynamous;
filaments often dilated basally;
anthers ovate or oblong, (apex obtuse);
nectar glands usually confluent, subtending bases of stamens, median glands present or not.
sepals 2–3 mm;
petals white, suborbicular to obovate, 4–5 × 2–3 mm, narrowed to claw, 1.5–2 mm, apex rounded;
anthers oblong, 0.5–0.6 mm.
ascending, spreading, suberect, or divaricate [recurved], slender.
usually spreading to divaricate, rarely divaricate-ascending, (often forming greater than 40˚ angle, straight or upcurved), proximalmost bracteate, 4–12 mm, pubescent, trichomes simple mixed with smaller, dendritic ones.
siliques or silicles, usually sessile, rarely shortly stipitate, linear, oblong, obovoid, ellipsoid, spatulate, oblanceolate, suboblong, or pyriform [fusiform, ovoid, suborbicular], smooth, 4-angled, angustiseptate, terete, or subterete [latiseptate];
valves each with prominent or obscure midvein, usually glabrous;
replum rounded;
septum complete or perforated;
ovules 4–18 per ovary;
stigma capitate.
divaricate-ascending, ellipsoid to oblong, 4-angled, 5–11 × 2–3 mm, base and apex cuneate;
valves each with prominent midvein;
ovules 8–12 per ovary;
style 0.1–0.5 mm.
plump, not winged, usually oblong, rarely oblong-lanceolate;
seed coat (minutely reticulate), not mucilaginous when wetted;
cotyledons incumbent or accumbent.
1.7–2.2 × 0.9–1.1 mm.
= 12.
Smelowskia
Smelowskia media
Species 25 (7 in the flora).
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Smelowskia media resembles S. americana in aspects of habit, flowers, and fruits. It differs by having non-appressed (versus appressed) fruits, fruiting pedicels held at wider angles (greater than 40˚ versus less), and somewhat larger seeds (1.7–2.3 × 0.9–1.2 mm versus 1.1–1.9 × 0.6–0.9 mm).
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
1. Basal leaves: blade margins entire, apically 3 or 5-toothed or -lobed, or palmately lobed | → 2 |
1. Basal leaves: blade margins 1- or 2-pinnatisect or pinnatifid | → 4 |
2. Basal leaves: blade margins deeply palmately (3 or) 5 (or 7)-lobed; fruiting pedicels secund; sepals usually persistent; fruits angustiseptate, (8-)12-28 × 4-8 mm; ovules 10-18 per ovary. | S. borealis |
2. Basal leaves: blade margins entire or apically 3 or 5-toothed or -lobed; fruiting pedicels not secund; sepals caducous; fruits subterete or slightly 4-angled, 5-10 × 1.5-3 mm; ovules 4-8 per ovary | → 3 |
3. Basal leaf blade surfaces densely silvery villous, trichomes mostly simple, 1-1.8 mm; petals lavender to purplish; fruiting pedicels 11-27 mm; fruit valves each with obscure midvein; ovules 4 per ovary; seeds 2.2-2.7 mm. | S. johnsonii |
3. Basal leaf blade surfaces densely grayish tomentose, trichomes mostly dendritic with fewer simple ones, to 1 mm; petals white or creamy white; fruiting pedicels 4-12 mm; fruit valves each with prominent midvein; ovules 4-8 per ovary; seeds 1.5-2 mm. | S. porsildii |
4. Sepals persistent; fruits 2-6 mm, bases obtuse, valves each with obscure midvein. | S. ovalis |
4. Sepals caducous; fruits 5-13 mm, bases cuneate, valves each with prominent midvein | → 5 |
5. Fruits pyriform, subterete, apices rounded; ovules 4 per ovary; seeds 2.5-3.2 × 1-1.5 mm. | S. pyriformis |
5. Fruits fusiform, ellipsoid, oblong, or linear, 4-angled, apices cuneate; ovules 8-12 (-14) per ovary; seeds 1.1-2.2 × 0.6-1.1 mm | → 6 |
6. Fruiting pedicels suberect to ascending, subappressed to rachises, forming less than 40˚ angle; seeds 1.1-1.9 × 0.6-0.9 mm; Alberta, British Columbia, Mountain and Pacific states. | S. americana |
6. Fruiting pedicels usually spreading to divaricate, rarely divaricate-ascending, not appressed to rachises, often forming greater than 40˚ angle; seeds 1.7-2.2 × 0.9-1.1 mm; Alaska, Northwest Territories, Yukon. | S. media |
CA
OR
WA
Flora NW
PNW Herbaria
WildflowerSearch
iNaturalist
USDA Plants Database
