Flora of North America species comparison

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Draba albertina

Draba cana

Alaska Draba, Alaska whitlow-grass, Alberta whitlow grass, slender Draba, slender whitlow-grass

Brewer's Draba, canescent Draba, canescent whitlow-mustard, cushion Draba, hoary Draba, hoary whitlow-grass, lance-leaf Draba, lance-leaf whitlow-grass
Habit Annuals, biennials, or perennials; caudex (or base) simple or branched (poorly developed); rarely scapose. Perennials; caudex simple or branched (branches short); not scapose.
Stems

branched distally, (0.3–)0.5–3(–4.2) dm, pubescent proximally, often glabrous distally, trichomes simple, 0.1–1 mm, sometimes with fewer, stalked, 2-rayed ones.

unbranched or branched distally, (0.6–)1–3(–3.8) dm, pubescent throughout, trichomes simple, 0.5–1mm, with 4–10-rayed ones, 0.05–0.2 mm (mostly branched on basal parts).
Basal leaves

rosulate; shortly petiolate;

petiole (0–0.5 cm), ciliate throughout;

blade obovate to oblanceolate or linear-lanceolate, (0.3–)1–2.8(–3.5) cm × (1–)2–6(–9) mm, margins entire or denticulate, (ciliate, trichomes simple, 0.4–1 mm), surfaces usually pubescent, abaxially with stalked, 2–4-rayed trichomes, 0.05–0.4(–0.5) mm, (rarely with simple trichomes along midvein), adaxially with simple trichomes sometimes also with 2-rayed ones, 0.07–0.4 mm, rarely glabrous.

rosulate; petiolate;

petiole ciliate throughout;

blade linear to oblanceolate or oblong, (0.5–)0.8–2(–3.5) cm × 1.5–4(–11) mm, margins entire or dentate, (base and apex ciliate, trichomes simple, 0.3–0.8 mm), surfaces pubescent with short-stalked, 4–12-rayed trichomes, 0.1–0.3 mm.
Cauline leaves

(0 or) 1–3(–5);

sessile;

blade lanceolate to elliptic or ovate, margins entire or denticulate, surfaces pubescent as basal.

3–10(–17), (not overlapping);

sessile;

blade lanceolate to ovate or oblong, margins entire or dentate, surfaces pubescent as basal (adaxially with simple and forked trichomes near blade base).
Racemes

(2–)6–30(–50)-flowered, ebracteate, elongated in fruit;

rachis straight or, rarely, flexuous, glabrous.

(10–)15–47(–63)-flowered, basally bracteate, often considerably elongated in fruit;

rachis not flexuous, densely pubescent, trichomes 4–10-rayed (0.05–0.2 mm), and fewer simple ones.
Flowers

(chasmogamous, petaliferous);

sepals ovate, 1.4–2.1 mm, glabrous or sparsely pubescent, (trichomes simple);

petals yellow, spatulate to oblanceolate, 2–3.2 × 0.7–1.2 mm;

anthers ovate, 0.15–0.25 mm.

sepals (green or lavender), oblong to ovate, 1.5–2 mm, pubescent, (trichomes simple and few-rayed);

petals white, oblanceolate to spatulate, 2.3–3.7(–4.5) × 0.7–1.7 mm;

anthers ovate, 0.1–0.2 mm.
Fruiting pedicels

divaricate-ascending or horizontal, (not appressed to rachis), usually straight, rarely curved upward, (3–)5–14(–16) mm (subequaling or shorter than fruit), usually glabrous, rarely sparsely puberulent.

suberect or ascending, straight, 2–5(–10) mm, pubescent as rachis.
Fruits

lanceolate to narrowly elliptic or linear, plane, flattened, (4–)6–12(–15) × (1–)1.4–2.1 mm;

valves glabrous;

ovules (20–)24–38(–44) per ovary;

style 0.01–0.12 mm.

(subappressed to rachis), linear-lanceolate to linear or, rarely, ovate-oblong, slightly twisted or plane, flattened, (5–)6–11 × 1.5–2(–2.5) mm;

valves pubescent, trichomes short-stalked, 3–7-rayed, 0.05–0.3 mm;

ovules 28–48 per ovary;

style 0.1–0.6 mm.
Seeds

oblong, 0.7–1 × 0.4–0.5 mm.

ovoid, 0.5–0.7(–0.9) × 0.3–0.5 mm.
2n

= 24.

= 32.

Draba albertina

Draba cana
Phenology Flowering Jun–Aug. Flowering (May-)Jun–Aug.
Habitat Open woodlands, pine forests, meadows, rocky knolls, alpine slopes, stream banks, disturbed areas Rock outcrops and talus, open prairie benchlands, roadsides, meadows, alpine tundra
Elevation 900-3700 m (3000-12100 ft) 0-4100 m (0-13500 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
AK; AZ; CA; CO; ID; MT; NM; NV; OR; UT; WA; WY; AB; BC; NT; YT
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
AK; CA; CO; ID; ME; MI; MT; NH; NM; NV; SD; UT; VT; WA; WI; WY; AB; BC; MB; NB; NF; NT; ON; QC; SK; YT; Greenland
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

O. E. Schulz (1927) and C. L. Hitchcock (1941) confused the limits of Draba albertina, D. crassifolia, and D. stenoloba; the latter author treated the first two species as conspecific. G. A. Mulligan (1975) demonstrated that the three taxa are chromosomally and morphologically distinct (see D. crassifolia and D. stenoloba for differences from D. albertina). The ranges of D. albertina and D. crassifolia overlap extensively, and occasional sterile hybrids are encountered.

The Alaskan record of Draba albertina is based on Minard 4 (ALA), collected on the northern coast of Afognak Island (58°22’N, 152°28’W). The record from New Mexico is based on O’Kane & Hedin 3871 (ISTC, SJC), collected in Chuska Mountains (36°8’11”N, 108°54’19”W).

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

The limits of Draba cana have long been confused, and the species was treated as a synonym of the Himalayan D. lanceolata Royle (M. L. Fernald 1934; C. L. Hitchcock 1941) or as a variety of the western North American D. breweri (R. C. Rollins 1993). However, G. A. Mulligan (1971) clearly demonstrated that all three are distinct and should be maintained. Some Utah plants corresponding to the type of D. valida have shorter and wider oblong-ovate fruits. In all other aspects, they are indistinguishable from D. cana. Additional studies are needed to establish whether such plants should be formally recognized.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Source FNA vol. 7, p. 288. FNA vol. 7, p. 298.
Parent taxa Brassicaceae > tribe Arabideae > Draba Brassicaceae > tribe Arabideae > Draba
Sibling taxa
D. abajoensis, D. aleutica, D. alpina, D. aprica, D. arabisans, D. arctica, D. arctogena, D. argyrea, D. arida, D. asprella, D. asterophora, D. aurea, D. aureola, D. bifurcata, D. borealis, D. brachycarpa, D. brachystylis, D. breweri, D. burkei, D. californica, D. cana, D. carnosula, D. chamissonis, D. cinerea, D. corrugata, D. corymbosa, D. crassa, D. crassifolia, D. cruciata, D. cuneifolia, D. cusickii, D. cyclomorpha, D. daviesiae, D. densifolia, D. exunguiculata, D. fladnizensis, D. glabella, D. globosa, D. graminea, D. grandis, D. grayana, D. heilii, D. helleriana, D. hitchcockii, D. howellii, D. incana, D. incerta, D. incrassata, D. inexpectata, D. jaegeri, D. juvenilis, D. kassii, D. kluanei, D. lactea, D. lemmonii, D. lonchocarpa, D. longisquamosa, D. macounii, D. maguirei, D. malpighiacea, D. micropetala, D. mogollonica, D. monoensis, D. mulliganii, D. murrayi, D. nemorosa, D. nivalis, D. norvegica, D. novolympica, D. oblongata, D. ogilviensis, D. oligosperma, D. oreibata, D. oxycarpa, D. palanderiana, D. pauciflora, D. paucifructa, D. paysonii, D. pectinipila, D. pedicellata, D. pennellii, D. petrophila, D. pilosa, D. platycarpa, D. porsildii, D. praealta, D. pterosperma, D. ramosissima, D. ramulosa, D. rectifructa, D. reptans, D. ruaxes, D. santaquinensis, D. saxosa, D. scotteri, D. serpentina, D. sharsmithii, D. sibirica, D. sierrae, D. simmonsii, D. smithii, D. sobolifera, D. spectabilis, D. sphaerocarpa, D. sphaeroides, D. standleyi, D. stenoloba, D. stenopetala, D. streptobrachia, D. streptocarpa, D. subalpina, D. subcapitata, D. subumbellata, D. trichocarpa, D. ventosa, D. verna, D. viridis, D. weberi, D. yukonensis, D. zionensis
D. abajoensis, D. albertina, D. aleutica, D. alpina, D. aprica, D. arabisans, D. arctica, D. arctogena, D. argyrea, D. arida, D. asprella, D. asterophora, D. aurea, D. aureola, D. bifurcata, D. borealis, D. brachycarpa, D. brachystylis, D. breweri, D. burkei, D. californica, D. carnosula, D. chamissonis, D. cinerea, D. corrugata, D. corymbosa, D. crassa, D. crassifolia, D. cruciata, D. cuneifolia, D. cusickii, D. cyclomorpha, D. daviesiae, D. densifolia, D. exunguiculata, D. fladnizensis, D. glabella, D. globosa, D. graminea, D. grandis, D. grayana, D. heilii, D. helleriana, D. hitchcockii, D. howellii, D. incana, D. incerta, D. incrassata, D. inexpectata, D. jaegeri, D. juvenilis, D. kassii, D. kluanei, D. lactea, D. lemmonii, D. lonchocarpa, D. longisquamosa, D. macounii, D. maguirei, D. malpighiacea, D. micropetala, D. mogollonica, D. monoensis, D. mulliganii, D. murrayi, D. nemorosa, D. nivalis, D. norvegica, D. novolympica, D. oblongata, D. ogilviensis, D. oligosperma, D. oreibata, D. oxycarpa, D. palanderiana, D. pauciflora, D. paucifructa, D. paysonii, D. pectinipila, D. pedicellata, D. pennellii, D. petrophila, D. pilosa, D. platycarpa, D. porsildii, D. praealta, D. pterosperma, D. ramosissima, D. ramulosa, D. rectifructa, D. reptans, D. ruaxes, D. santaquinensis, D. saxosa, D. scotteri, D. serpentina, D. sharsmithii, D. sibirica, D. sierrae, D. simmonsii, D. smithii, D. sobolifera, D. spectabilis, D. sphaerocarpa, D. sphaeroides, D. standleyi, D. stenoloba, D. stenopetala, D. streptobrachia, D. streptocarpa, D. subalpina, D. subcapitata, D. subumbellata, D. trichocarpa, D. ventosa, D. verna, D. viridis, D. weberi, D. yukonensis, D. zionensis
Synonyms D. crassifolia var. albertina, D. crassifolia var. nevadensis, D. deflexa, D. nitida, D. nitida var. nana, D. stenoloba var. nana, D. stenoloba var. ramosa D. breweri var. cana, D. valida
Name authority Greene: Pittonia 4: 312. (1901) Rydberg: Bull. Torrey Bot. Club 29: 241. (1902)
Web links 
Unless otherwise noted, all data comes from the online version of the Flora of North America, who have made most of their content available via a Creative Commons license (CC BY 4.0).



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