| Smelowskia ovalis | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Rosids |
| Order: | Brassicales |
| Family: | Brassicaceae |
| Genus: | Smelowskia |
| Species: | S. ovalis
|
| Binomial name | |
| Smelowskia ovalis | |
Smelowskia ovalis is a species of flowering plant in the mustard family known by the common name alpine false candytuft.[1] It is native to western North America from British Columbia to northern California, occurring mostly in the Cascade Range. It is a plant of alpine climates, growing in high mountain habitat such as talus and fellfields. It is clumpy in shape, producing several hairy stems growing erect to a maximum height around 18 centimeters. The densely hairy leaves are divided into several oval leaflets. The longest leaves are arranged around the base of the plant, and a few smaller ones occur farther up the stems. The inflorescence is a dense, spherical raceme of flowers that elongates as the fruits develop. The flowers have white or pink-tinged petals each a few millimeters long. The fruit is a short silique.