Smelowskia johnsonii
Johnson's false candytuft
several from base, unbranched or branched proximally, 0.4–1.6 dm, trichomes simple, 1–1.5 mm, mixed with smaller, dendritic ones.
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).
subsessile;
blade similar to basal, smaller distally, margins entire.
elongated in fruit.
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.
ascending, (often forming less than 40˚ angle, straight), proximalmost bracteate, 11–27 mm, pubescent, trichomes primarily simple (to 1.5 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.
2.2–2.7 × ca. 1 mm.
Smelowskia johnsonii
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.)
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