Alpine.  Rock, meadows, tundra. Summer.
Cinnamon Pass, August 1, 2007.

In the Four Corners area Smelowskia calycina occurs just in Colorado and Utah.  It is found high in the mountains above tree-line in rocky areas where it grows two-to-eight inches tall and typically spreads about six inches.  Flowers are reminiscent of those of Candytuft and it is sometimes called "Fern-leaf Wild Candytuft".

The plant also is found in Siberia, China, India....  See the Flora of North America for more details.

The plant was first named Lepidium calycinum by Stephan in 1800 from collections made in Siberia.  It was renamed Smelowskia calycina by Friedrich Karl Meyer in 1831.  Timotheus Smelowsky (1769-1815) was a Russian pharmacist and botanist from St. Petersburg. "Calycina" means "with calyx".

Alpine.  Rock, meadows, tundra. Summer.
Cinnamon Pass, August 1, 2007.

Alpine.  Rock, meadows, tundra. Summer.
Cross Mountain Trail, August 8, 2007.

Fine hairs cover the leaves and stems (see the next photograph).

Alpine.  Rock, meadows, tundra. Summer.
Cross Mountain Trail, August 8, 2007.