Johnson'S False Candytuft

Description

Plants densely white-canescent throughout; caudex simple. Stems: several from base, unbranched or branched proximally, 0.4-1.6 dm, trichomes simple, 1-1.5 mm, mixed with smaller, dendritic ones. Basal leaves: 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). Cauline leaves subsessile; blade similar to basal, smaller distally, margins entire. Racemes elongated in fruit. Fruiting pedicels ascending, (often forming less than 40- angle, straight), proximalmost bracteate, 11-27 mm, pubescent, trichomes primarily simple (to 1.5 mm). Flowers: 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. Fruits 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. Seeds 2.2-2.7 - ca. 1 mm.Flowering Jun-Aug. Steep talus slopes, loose rocks, limestone rubble, talus; of conservation concern; 0-600 m; Alaska.