Alpine.  Rock, meadows, tundra. Summer.
Cross Mountain Trail, July 7, 2008.

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".

Click to see the rocky habitat of Smelowskia calycina.

Alpine.  Rock, meadows, tundra. Summer.
Cross Mountain Trail, July 7, 2008.

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 giving them a soft green appearance.  (See the next photograph).

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

Ripening and ripened seed pods.

Range map © John Kartesz,
Floristic Synthesis of North America

State Color Key

Species present in state and native
Species present in state and exotic
Species not present in state

County Color Key

Species present and not rare
Species present and rare
Species extirpated (historic)
Species extinct
Species noxious
Species exotic and present
Native species, but adventive in state
Eradicated
Questionable presence

Range map for Smelowskia calycina