Page authors: Don Knoke, David Giblin
Physaria alpestris
alpine twinpod, Washington twinpod
Specimens
Photos

Distribution: Occurring east of the Cascades crest in Washington, where endemic to Chelan, Kittitas and Yakima counties.

Habitat: Open rocky areas, scree and talus slopes, middle to high elevations in the mountains.

Flowers: April-July

Origin: Native

Growth Duration: Perennial

Conservation Status: Not of concern

Pollination: Bees, flies

Description:
General:

Perennial herbs from a thick, branched crown, the numerous, erect to decumbent stems 5-15 cm. long; herbage silvery with tiny, appressed stellate hairs.

Leaves:

Basal leaves numerous, 4-8 cm. long, the blade entire, oblanceolate or obovate, tapered to a slender petiole at least as long; cauline leaves alternate, reduced, oblanceolate.

Flowers:

Inflorescence of short, crowded, bractless racemes; pedicles ascending, 10-15 mm. long; sepals 4, the outer pair saccate at the base; petals 4, yellow, spatulate, 8-14 mm. long; stamens 6; style 5-7 mm. long.

Fruits:

Silicles strongly inflated, developed in pairs, 14-18 mm. long and broad, shallowly cordate at the base, the apical sinus open, 2-3 mm. deep.

Accepted Name:
Physaria alpestris Suksd.
Publication: W. Amer. Sci. 15: 58. 1906.

Synonyms & Misapplications:
Lesquerella alpestris (Suksd.) G.A. Mulligan
Additional Resources:

PNW Herbaria: Specimen records of Physaria alpestris in the Consortium of Pacific Northwest Herbaria database.

WA Flora Checklist: Physaria alpestris checklist entry.

OregonFlora: Physaria alpestris information.

E-Flora BC: Physaria alpestris atlas page.

CalPhotos: Physaria alpestris photos.

USDA Plants: Physaria alpestris information.

41 photographs:
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