Physaria vicina

Perennials; (flowering in the first year); caudex branched, (well-developed); densely pubescent, trichomes (subsessile, appressed to spreading), 3-6-rayed, rays furcate or bifurcate, usually slightly fused at base, less frequently distinct. Stems few to several from base, ascending (in flower) to nearly prostrate (in fruit), (unbranched), 1-2.5 dm. Basal leaves: (petiole 1-3.5 cm); blade ovate to rhombic or rotund, 2-7 cm, (base narrowed abruptly to petiole), margins usually entire, occasionally shallowly repand, (flat). Cauline leaves: blade elliptic or narrowly so, (0.7-)1-2.5 cm, (base narrowed gradually to petiole), margins entire. Racemes dense, (elongated in fruit). Fruiting pedicels (ascending, curved to slightly sigmoid), (4-)6-12 mm, (stout). Flowers: sepals (lavender under grayish trichomes), elliptic, 4-6 mm; petals (white, pale yellow basally, often tinged lavender abaxially), narrowly spatulate, 6-10 mm, (claw undifferentiated from blade). Fruits subglobose to ovoid, slightly compressed, 5-7 mm; valves densely pubescent, trichomes spreading; ovules 8-12 per ovary; style 4-6 mm. Seeds flattened, (faintly margined).

Flowering May-Jun. Nearly barren sites, soils derived from Mancos Shale or, less frequently, Jurassic sandstone, pinyon-juniper, sagebrush, Gambel oak; of conservation concern; 1800-2200 m; Colo.