General:
Dwarf shrubs, 2-9 cm tall, forming rhizomatous mats; branches trailing or erect, flexible at base; twigs brownish, smooth.

Leaves:
Alternate, simple, elliptic to nearly circular, 1.6-4.2 cm long, 1.2-3.8 cm wide, lower surface glaucous, hairy; becoming nearly smooth, hairs white, upper surface highly glossy, smooth or margin fringed with long hairs, margins entire or toothed, bases rounded to pointed, tips rounded or notched; leaf stalks without glandular dots at top; stipules rudimentary.

Flowers:
Unisexual, lacking sepals and petals, borne in catkins which flower as leaves emerge, the catkins stout to globe-shaped, on leafy twigs; floral bracts dark, hairs straight or wavy; stamens 2; ovaries 1, smooth or hairy on beak; styles 0.6-1.6 mm long.

Fruits:
Capsules which split open to release the seeds, each of which is surrounded by a tuft of hairs; stalks 0.2-0.8 mm long.

Notes:
This species hybridizes with S. arctica and S. barclayi.

Source:  The Illustrated Flora of British Columbia

If more than one illustration is available for a species (e.g., separate illustrations were provided for two subspecies) then links to the separate images will be provided below. Note that individual subspecies or varietal illustrations are not always available.

Illustration Source:  The Illustrated Flora of British Columbia