Dryas L.

Shrubs, ?tufted or matted, scapose?, 0.1–2.3 dm; ?caudices relatively long, woody?. Stems 3+, branched, ?rooting freely?; bark green in 1st year, reddish to brown in 2d year, often appearing blackish, peeling; short and long shoots absent; ?stoloniferous branches horizontal, relatively short, glabrous?. Leaves persistent, simple or (in D. drummondii) basal leaflets 1(–2); stipules persistent, narrowly lanceolate, margins usually entire, sometimes 1–2-toothed; petiole present; blade elliptic, lanceolate, linear, oblong, oblong-elliptic, obovate, oval, or ovate, 0.2–3.9(–4.6) cm, smooth to rugose or plicate, margins usually flat, sometimes revolute, crenate, dentate, serrate, or entire, abaxial surface tomentose or woolly, adaxial usually glabrous, sometimes tomentose or sparsely hairy on proximal portion of midvein. Inflorescences terminal, flowers solitary; bracts absent; bracteoles absent. Pedicels present. Flowers 13–29 mm diam.; hypanthium saucer-shaped, 3–15 mm, exterior villous, stipitate-glandular; sepals 8–10, ascending to spreading, linear-oblong or linear-lanceolate to lanceolate, elliptic, or ovate; petals 8–10(–12), deciduous or persistent, usually white or cream, sometimes yellow, ovate to obovate, oblanceolate, or ovoid; stamens 50–130, shorter than petals; torus hemispheric; carpels 60–150, sessile, stigmas lateral. Fruits aggregated achenes, 20–40, linear to lanceolate, 0.8–3.5 mm, smooth ?with many short white hairs?; hypanthium persistent; sepals persistent, erect-ascending. x = 9.