Flora of North America species comparison

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Draba aurea

Draba cinerea

golden Draba, golden Draba whitlow-grass, golden whitlow-grass, twisted-pod Draba

gray-leaf Draba, gray-leaf whitlow-grass
Habit Perennials; (not cespitose); caudex simple or branched; not scapose. Perennials; (cespitose); caudex simple or branched; rarely scapose.
Stems

sometimes branched distally, (0.5–) 1–3.5(–5.2) dm, pubescent throughout, trichomes simple (non-crisped), 0.4–1.3 mm, and 3–6-rayed ones, 0.1–0.5 mm.

unbranched, (0.3–)0.5–1.6(–2.7) dm, pubescent throughout, trichomes 4–10-rayed, 0.1–0.3 mm, (often some rays branched, simple trichomes sparse, to 0.6 mm).
Basal leaves

rosulate; petiolate;

petiole (distinct or obscure) ciliate, (trichomes simple, to 0.8 mm);

blade oblanceolate to obovate, (0.4–)1–3.7(–5) cm × (1–)2–7(–10) mm, margins entire or denticulate, surfaces pubescent, trichomes stalked, (2–)4–7 (or 8)-rayed, 0.2–0.5(–0.6) mm.

rosulate; petiolate;

petiole base and proximalmost margin ciliate, (trichomes simple, 0.2–0.8 mm);

blade oblanceolate to narrowly obovate or linear-lanceolate, 0.4–1.5 cm × 1–5 mm, margins usually entire, rarely with 1 tooth on each side, surfaces densely pubescent with minutely stalked, stellate, 8–12-rayed, trichomes 0.1–0.25 mm, (midvein obscure abaxially, apex trichomes simple).
Cauline leaves

5–20(–26);

sessile;

blade oblong to lanceolate or ovate, margins entire or dentate, surfaces pubescent as basal, sometimes adaxially with simple trichomes.

0–3(–5);

sessile;

blade ovate or oblong to lanceolate, margins entire, surfaces pubescent as basal.
Racemes

(10–)18–52(–72)-flowered, usually bracteate on proximalmost 1–12(–17) flowers, rarely ebracteate, elongated in fruit;

rachis not flexuous, pubescent as stem.

(3–)5–17(–24)-flowered, ebracteate, elongated in fruit;

rachis not flexuous, pubescent as stem.
Flowers

sepals (green or yellowish), oblong, 2.2–3 mm, pubescent, (trichomes simple and branched);

petals yellow, oblanceolate, 3.5–5 × 1.5–2.5 mm;

anthers ovate, 0.4–0.5 mm.

sepals ovate, 1.7–2.5 mm, pubescent, (trichomes simple and short-stalked, 2- or 3-rayed);

petals white, spatulate to obovate, 3.5–4.5 × 1.5–2 mm;

anthers ovate, 0.3–0.4 mm.
Fruiting pedicels

divaricate-ascending to ascending or suberect, straight, 3–13(–20) mm, pubescent as stem.

divaricate-ascending or ascending, straight, (3–)4–7(–9) mm, pubescent as stem.
Fruits

(often subappressed to rachis), lanceolate to linear-lanceolate or narrowly oblong, slightly twisted or plane, flattened, (6–)9–14(–17) × 2–3.5 mm;

valves pubescent, trichomes simple and short-stalked, 2–4-rayed, 0.05–0.3 mm;

ovules 28–38(–44) per ovary;

style 0.5–1.2(–1.5) mm.

oblong to elliptic, plane, slightly flattened, 5–8 × 2–3 mm;

valves pubescent, trichomes short-stalked, 2–5-rayed, 0.05–0.3 mm, (some rays branched);

ovules 20–36(–42) per ovary;

style (0.1–)0.2–1 mm.
Seeds

oblong, 0.9–1.3 × 0.5–0.7 mm.

ovoid, 0.6–0.8 × 0.4–0.6 mm.
2n

= 74.

= 48.

Draba aurea

Draba cinerea
Phenology Flowering Jun–Aug. Flowering Jun–Jul.
Habitat Rock outcrops, talus, damp gullies and meadows, subalpine conifer woodlands, alpine slopes and turf, tundra, road banks, river gravel Rock outcrops, ridges, meadows, gravel beaches, stream banks, alluvial fans
Elevation (0-)700-4200 m ((0-)2300-13800 ft) 0-500 m (0-1600 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
AK; AZ; CO; ID; MT; NM; NV; SD; UT; WA; WY; AB; BC; MB; NF; NT; NU; ON; QC; SK; YT; Greenland
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
AK; BC; NT; NU; ON; QC; SK; YT; Greenland; Europe (Finland, Norway, n Russia); e Asia (Russian Far East, Siberia)
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Draba aurea is extremely variable in plant size, number of cauline leaves, number of bracteate flowers, style length, and fruit size, shape, orientation, twisting, and indumentum. Much of the variation in the number of bracts, style length, fruit twisting, and growth habit occurs in Greenland, where the type specimen was collected and where the species is found near sea level.

The highly deviant chromosome counts (e.g., 2n = 40 + 1, 64, 82) listed by R. C. Rollins (1993) and S. I. Warwick and I. A. Al-Shehbaz (2006) are mostly unvouchered and have to be disregarded; counts of 2n = ca. 80 have been re-assigned to Draba glabella. Published (G. A. Mulligan 2002) and unpublished counts made by Mulligan and M. D. Windham from Alaska, British Columbia, Colorado, Quebec, Utah, and Yukon indicate that the most common chromosome number of D. aurea is 2n = 74 (or 72). This suggests that the species is an allopolyploid (hexaploid or higher), incorporating genomes from both euploid and aneuploid lineages (M. A. Beilstein and Windham 2003). Detailed cytological and molecular studies are much needed to fully understand this widely distributed and highly variable species.

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

Draba cinerea is a polymorphic species in which tetraploid, hexaploid, heptaploid, and octoploid chromosome counts (all based on x = 8) have been reported (e.g., R. C. Rollins 1993). Although we have not seen the type collection, we tentatively consider the taxon to be hexaploid, which is the predominant ploidy level throughout the species range, including North America, and also from its type region in Siberia.

Hexaploid Draba cinerea is closely related to decaploid (2n = 80) D. arctica, from which it is distinguished with difficulty. In general, D. cinerea has 1–3(–5)-leaved stems, basal leaf blades usually not terminated with simple trichomes and with obscure midveins abaxially, petals 3.5–4.5 mm, and seeds 0.6–0.8 × 0.4–0.6 mm. By contrast, D. arctica has leafless or 1(–3)-leaved stems, basal leaf blades terminated with simple or 2-rayed trichomes and with midveins distinct abaxially, petals 3.5–6 mm, and seeds (0.8–)0.9–1.1 × (0.6–)0.7–0.8 mm.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Source FNA vol. 7, p. 294. FNA vol. 7, p. 300.
Parent taxa Brassicaceae > tribe Arabideae > Draba Brassicaceae > tribe Arabideae > Draba
Sibling taxa
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. 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. cana, D. carnosula, D. chamissonis, 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. aurea var. aureiformis, D. aurea var. leiocarpa, D. aurea var. luteola, D. aureiformis, D. aureiformis var. leiocarpa, D. bakeri, D. decumbens, D. henneana var. maccallae, D. luteola, D. luteola var. minganensis, D. maccallae, D. minganensis, D. surculifera, D. uber D. magellanica subsp. cinerea
Name authority Vahl ex Hornemann: Fors. Oecon. Plantel. ed. 2, 599. (1806) Adams: Mém Soc. Imp. Naturalistes Moscou 5: 103. (1817)
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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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