Smelowskia ovalis

Alpine false candytuft

Family: Brassicaceae · Type: perennial · Native

Conservation status: CNPS 1B.2

Alpine false candytuft is a rare (CNPS 1B.2) California native perennial found in the Lassen Peak region of the Cascade Range in high alpine talus, moraines, and rock crevices at elevations of 1,500 to 3,350 meters. Flowering from July to August, this plant produces white to pink flowers 3.5 to 4.5 millimeters long with delicate petals. Growing with multiple stems 3 to 18 centimeters tall, emerging from a several-branched deep root system and densely covered with a mixture of simple and branched hairs. Its basal leaves are pinnately divided, obovate to ovate in outline, with small obovate segments 2 to 10 millimeters long, becoming smaller and more reduced toward the stem's upper portions. The small ovoid fruit is 2 to 6 millimeters long, containing 4 to 8 oblong seeds.

Habitat: Loose talus, mica schist, moraines, rock crevices

Bloom period: Jul-Aug

Elevation: 1500-3350 m

Bioregions: CaRH (Lassen Peak)

California counties: Shasta

Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Jepson eFlora, Cal-IPC, and more.