Smelowskia americana
Smelowskia johnsonii
alpine smelowskia, American false candytuft, Siberian smelowskia
Johnson's false candytuft
several from base, often unbranched, (0.4–)0.6–2(–2.7) dm, trichomes simple, 0.5–1.3 mm, mixed with smaller, dendritic ones.
several from base, unbranched or branched proximally, 0.4–1.6 dm, trichomes simple, 1–1.5 mm, mixed with smaller, dendritic ones.
petiole 1–5(–8) cm, ciliate, trichomes simple;
blade oblanceolate to obovate, or ovate to oblong in outline, (terminal segments linear, oblong, or ovate), (0.5–)1–3.5(–5.2) cm × 4–17 mm, (terminal segments 0.2–1.4 cm × 0.5–4 mm), margins 1- or 2-pinnatifid or -pinnatisect, apex obtuse or subacute.
petiole 0.8–1.3 cm, ciliate, trichomes simple;
blade oblanceolate to spatulate, 0.8–1.8 cm × 3–7 mm, (terminal segments 0.2–0.7 cm × 1–4 mm), margins usually entire or apically 3-toothed or -lobed, rarely palmately 3-lobed, (terminal segments linear to ovate), apex obtuse (surfaces densely villous, silvery, trichomes primarily simple, 1–1.8 mm).
shortly petiolate or sessile;
blade similar to basal, smaller distally.
subsessile;
blade similar to basal, smaller distally, margins entire.
elongated in fruit.
elongated in fruit.
sepals 2–3.5 mm;
petals usually white, rarely pinkish or lavender, suborbicular to obovate, 3.5–6.5 × 1.5–3.5mm, narrowed to claw, 1.5–3 mm, apex rounded;
anthers oblong, 0.5–0.7 mm.
sepals 3–3.5 mm;
petals lavender to purplish, suborbicular to obovate, 4–5 × 3–4 mm, narrowed to claw, ca. 2 mm, apex rounded;
anthers oblong, 0.5–0.7 mm.
suberect to ascending, (subappressed to rachis, often forming less than 40˚ angle), proximalmost bracteate, 4–10(–14) mm, pubescent, trichomes simple (to 1.5 mm), mixed with smaller, dendritic ones.
ascending, (often forming less than 40˚ angle, straight), proximalmost bracteate, 11–27 mm, pubescent, trichomes primarily simple (to 1.5 mm).
usually suberect, rarely ascending, ellipsoid or oblong to linear, 4-angled, 5–13 × 1.5–2 mm, base and apex cuneate;
valves each with prominent midvein;
ovules 8–12(–14) per ovary;
style 0.2–0.8 mm.
ascending, ellipsoid to obovoid-ellipsoid, subterete, 5–6 × 2–3 mm, base and sometimes apex cuneate;
valves each with obscure midvein;
ovules 4 per ovary;
style 0.2–0.3 mm.
1.1–1.9 × 0.6–0.9 mm.
2.2–2.7 × ca. 1 mm.
= 12, 22.
Smelowskia americana
Smelowskia johnsonii
Both R. C. Rollins (1993) and N. H. Holmgren (2005b) listed 2n = 44 for Smelowskia americana (as S. calycina var. americana), but no such number is known for any species of the genus (S. I. Warwick and I. A. Al-Shehbaz 2006). It is most likely that the first two authors erred in reporting 2n = 22 for the species. The latter count is likely to represent a dysploid reduction of tetraploid populations based on x = 6.
Previous North American authors (e.g., W. H. Drury Jr. and R. C. Rollins 1952; Rollins 1993; N. H. Holmgren 2005b) believed that the central Asian Smelowskia calycina and the North American plants also attributed to it are conspecific. S. I. Warwick et al. (2004b) clearly demonstrated that they are different species. The North American plants, S. americana, are easily distinguished from S. calycina by having readily caducous instead of persistent calyces. As recognized by Rollins (1993), the North American S. calycina represented three distinct taxa (S. americana, S. media, S. porsildii) none of which belongs to that species.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Of conservation concern.
Smelowskia johnsonii is known only from the Bering Strait District, Alaska. It is a distinctive species resembling only superficially the villous forms of S. borealis with simple trichomes. From the latter, S. johnsonii is easily distinguished by having subterete (versus angustiseptate) fruits 2–3 (versus 4–8) mm wide, non-secund (versus secund) and straight (versus often curved) fruiting pedicels, 4 (versus 10–18) ovules per ovary, and simple or apically 3 (or 5)-toothed or -lobed (versus palmately (3 or) 5 (or 7)-lobed) basal leaf blades. It is readily distinguished from all species of the genus by having leaves densely silvery pubescent, with primarily simple trichomes 1–1.8 mm.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
- Local floras:
BC, 
OR, 
WA - Local Web sites:
CalFlora, CalPhotos, 
Flora NW, 
PNW Herbaria, 
SW CO Wildflowers 
WildflowerSearch
iNaturalist (observations)- LBJ Wildflower Center
- SEINet
- Plants of the World Online
- Encyclopedia of Life
- Wikipedia
- Google Image Search
USDA Plants Database
