Boechera schistacea

(Rollins) Dorn

Brittonia 55: 3. 2003.

Basionym: Arabis schistacea Rollins Contr. Dudley Herb. 3: 370. 1946
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 7. Treatment on page 404. Mentioned on page 355.

Perennials; long-lived; sexual; caudex woody. Stems usually 2–5 per caudex branch, arising from margin of rosette, elevated above ground surface on woody base, 0.8–2.5(–4) dm, glabrous throughout. Basal leaves: blade linear to narrowly oblanceolate, 1.2–2.5 mm wide, margins entire, ciliate proximally, trichomes (simple), 0.3–0.7 mm, surfaces glabrous or sparsely pubescent, trichomes short-stalked, 2- or 3-rayed, 0.2–0.5 mm. Cauline leaves: 2–5(–9), not concealing stem; blade auricles 0.2–0.5 mm, surfaces of distalmost leaves glabrous. Racemes 5–12-flowered, usually unbranched. Fruiting pedicels reflexed, curved, 5–9 mm, glabrous. Flowers divaricate-ascending at anthesis; sepals glabrous; petals white to lavender, 4–6 × 1–1.5 mm, glabrous; pollen ellipsoid. Fruits pendent, not appressed to rachis, not secund, straight, edges parallel, 1.8–4.5 cm × 1.5–2 mm; valves glabrous; ovules 24–36 per ovary; style 0.2–0.5 mm. Seeds uniseriate, 0.9–1.2 × 0.7–0.9 mm; not winged. 2n = 14.


Phenology: Flowering May–Jul.
Habitat: Rocky slopes and gravelly soil in sagebrush, open conifer forests, and subalpine meadows
Elevation: 2400-3200 m

Discussion

Boechera schistacea is a sexual diploid that appears to intergrade with B. pendulina where their geographic ranges overlap in southwestern Utah.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.