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alpine false candytuft, short-fruit smelowskia

Habit Plants sometimes canescent basally; caudex branched.
Stems

several from base, unbranched or branched distally, 0.3–1.8 dm, trichomes simple, 0.3–0.6 mm, mixed with smaller, dendritic ones.

Basal leaves

petiole 1–6 cm, ciliate, trichomes simple;

blade obovate, ovate, suborbicular, or oblong in outline, (terminal segments obovate or oblong), 0.5–2.5 cm × 5–15 mm, (terminal segments 0.2–1 cm × 1.5–5 mm), margins pinnatisect or pinnatifid, apex obtuse or rounded.

Cauline leaves

shortly petiolate or sessile;

blade similar to basal, smaller distally.

Racemes

elongated and dense in fruit.

Flowers

sepals (persistent), 2–2.5 mm;

petals usually white, rarely pinkish, spatulate to obovate, 3.5–4.5 × 1.5–2.5 mm, narrowed to claw, 0.5–1.5 mm, apex rounded;

anthers oblong, 0.5–0.6 mm.

Fruiting pedicels

suberect to ascending, (subappressed to rachis, often forming less than 40˚ angle), proximalmost sometimes bracteate, 3–10 mm, pubescent, trichomes simple (to 1 mm), mixed with smaller, dendritic ones.

Fruits

suberect to ascending, ovoid to suboblong, terete or slightly flattened, 2–6 × 2–3 mm, base and apex obtuse;

valves each with obscure midvein;

ovules 4–8 per ovary;

style 0.2–1 mm.

Seeds

1–1.5 × 0.6–0.7 mm.

Smelowskia ovalis

Phenology Flowering Jul–Aug.
Habitat Loose talus, mica shist, alpine rock slides, rocky moraines, rock crevices
Elevation 1500-3400 m (4900-11200 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
CA; OR; WA; BC
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Smelowskia ovalis appears to be rare in Oregon, common at Mt. Lassen (Shasta County, California), and widespread at high elevations in Washington.

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

Source FNA vol. 7, p. 674.
Parent taxa Brassicaceae > tribe Smelowskieae > Smelowskia
Sibling taxa
S. americana, S. borealis, S. johnsonii, S. media, S. porsildii, S. pyriformis
Synonyms S. ovalis var. congesta
Name authority M. E. Jones: Proc. Calif. Acad. Sci. ser. 2, 5: 624. (1895)
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