Shoshpnea forms dense cushions up to 1 1/S feet in diameter in 

 open» exposed sites* but is usually smaller and more loosely 

 branched in partially shaded* less exposed sites. Plants 

 probably begin blooming in May in exposed habitats, and some 

 plants can still be found in bloom in July in shaded sites. 



B. Technical description: The following description is taken from 

 Evert and Constance (19BE). Plants low, acaulescent* caespitose- 

 pulvinate, scaberulous, pleasantly aromatic, herbaceous, 

 perennial, 2-8 cm tall, from a woody taproot and branching 

 (underground) caudices that are clothed above with the petioles 

 from previous years. Leaves petiolate, subcoriaceous, 

 imparipinnate, the blades ovate or oblong in outline, 5-25 mm 

 long, 3-20 mm wide, the 2-5 pairs of leaflets linear or 

 oblanceolate, cuspidate, 2-10 mm long, 0.5-1.5 mm wide, the lower 

 leaflets frequently S- or 3-lobed; petioles dilated and scarious- 

 sheathing near the base, 5-20 mm long. Inflorescence of 

 subcompact compound umbels 0.75-1.5 cm wide at anthesis; 

 peduncles erect, 2-5 cm longf involucel dimidiate, the 5-8 

 basally connate, entire bractlets linear or lanceolate, 2-6 mm 

 long, slightly exceeding the flowers} umbellets of 1-5 sessile 

 perfect flowers and 2-6 pedicillate staminate flowers, the 

 pedicels up to ^ mm long; flowers yellow, the sepals 5 (or 

 ocassionally ^), prominent, unequal, ovate-lanceolate, 1-1.5 mm 

 long, the petals oblong-spatulate with a narrower inflexed apex, 

 about 1.5 mm long, the stylopodium absent, the disk semicircular, 

 the ovary densely scaberulous. Fruit sessile, scaberulous, 

 oblong or ovoid-elliptic, subterete to slightly compressed 

 laterally, not constricted at the commissure, 2-^ mm long, 1.5-3 

 mm wide; ribs subequal, prominent to subprominent , obtuse, not 

 winged, ovate in transection, up to 0.3 mm long, 0.3 mm wide; 

 pericarp with lignified strengthening cells; carpophore absent or 

 vestigial, bipartite, and usually falling with the mericarps; oil 

 tubes small, 2-6 in the intervals, 2-6 on the commissure and 

 frequently 1 in each rib; seed dorsally compressed, the face 

 plane to concave. Chromosome number 2n=22 ( Evert 1772 ). 



C. Local field characters: In open habitats, the dense cushion-like 

 habit of Shoshonea separates it from all other members of the 

 Apiaceae with which it might co-occur. Vegetatively, Shoshonea 

 might be confused with ftstraqalus kentrophyta , which is often 

 found in similar habitats, but A. kentrophyta has three-parted 

 leaflets. In more shaded habitats, Shoshonea might be confused 

 with various species of Cymopterus , but the latter are generally 

 more erect and have leaves which are either bipinnate or 

 tripinnate. The leaves of Shoshonea are simply pinnate. 



Thus, the mat-forming habit, small yellow umbels of flowers, and 

 pinnate leaves distinguish Shoshonea from all other species. 



D. Identifying characteristics of material which is in interstate or 

 international commerce or trade: No interstate or international 

 commerce or trade known. 



