Smelowskia ovalis M.E. Jones
short-fruited smelowskia (alpine false candytuft)
Brassicaceae (Mustard family)

Introduction to Vascular Plants

Photograph

© Natasha Gellatly     (Photo ID #38386)


Map

E-Flora BC Static Map

Distribution of Smelowskia ovalis
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Species Information

General:
Perennial herb from a taproot and a several-branched stem-base; stems 5-15 cm long, simple or branched, densely hairy with long, simple and short, branched hairs.
Leaves:
Basal leaves egg-shaped or oblong, 2-6 cm long, pinnately divided, segments egg-shaped, hairy with whitish, mostly branched hairs, stalks slender and usually at least as long as the blades; stem leaves similar, few, reduced, 1-3 cm long.
Flowers:
Inflorescences corymbose, elongating but dense in fruit; flower stalks ascending to erect, 4-8 mm long, densely hairy with long, simple hairs; petals white or tinged with purple, 4-5 mm long, about 2 mm wide, rounded at the tips; sepals 2.5-3.5 mm long, usually persistent for some time after anthesis.
Fruits:
Siliques, erect, egg-shaped to narrowly oblong, 2-6 mm long, 2-3 mm wide, usually distinctly obcompressed, glabrous, segments fairly prominently nerved most of their length; beaks less than 1 mm long; seeds about 2 mm long.

SourceThe Illustrated Flora of British Columbia

Illustration

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.

Habitat and Range

Mesic to dry rocky slopes and fellfields in the alpine zone; locally rare in extreme SW and SC BC; S to N CA.

SourceThe Illustrated Flora of British Columbia