Flora of North America species comparison

The green links below add additional plants to the comparison table. Blue links lead to other Web sites.
enable glossary links

Draba brachycarpa

Draba cinerea

short-pod whitlowgrass, shortfruit Draba, shortpod Draba

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

usually branched, rarely unbranched, (0.3–)0.4–1.9(–2.2) dm, pubescent throughout, trichomes sessile, cruciform, 0.2–0.6(–0.8) mm (rays often equal, or those parallel to stem axis longer).

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

not rosulate; petiolate;

petiole (to 0.5 cm), not ciliate;

blade oblanceolate to obovate, 0.5–2 cm × 2–8 mm, margins entire, surfaces pubescent, trichomes cruciform, 0.2–0.6(–0.8) 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

(4–)6–11;

sessile;

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

0–3(–5);

sessile;

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

(main branch) (20–)25–65(–74)-flowered, 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

(late ones cleistogamous, apetalous);

sepals (green or pink), oblong, 0.7–1.2(–1.5) mm, pubescent;

petals white, spatulate, 2–3 × 0.8–1.1 mm;

anthers ovate, 0.15–0.25 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

horizontal to divaricate-ascending, straight, (1–)1.5–4(–5) mm, pubescent, trichomes cruciform.

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

usually elliptic to linear-elliptic, rarely ovate-elliptic, plane, flattened, (2–)2.5–5(–6) × 0.9–1.4(–1.9) mm;

valves glabrous;

ovules 8–16(–20) per ovary;

style 0.05–0.1 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

(winged), ovoid, 0.5–0.7 × 0.4–0.5 mm.

ovoid, 0.6–0.8 × 0.4–0.6 mm.
2n

= 16.

= 48.

Draba brachycarpa

Draba cinerea
Phenology Flowering Feb–May. Flowering Jun–Jul.
Habitat Open woods, cedar glades, pastures and lawns, roadsides, disturbed sites Rock outcrops, ridges, meadows, gravel beaches, stream banks, alluvial fans
Elevation 0-300 m (0-1000 ft) 0-500 m (0-1600 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
AL; AR; AZ; FL; GA; IL; IN; KS; KY; LA; MO; MS; NC; OH; OK; OR; SC; TN; TX; VA
[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 brachycarpa is closely related to D. aprica and the two are sometimes confused. It is readily distinguished by having leaves with sessile (versus stalked) trichomes, glabrous (versus pubescent) fruits, and smaller (0.5–0.7 versus 0.9–1.1 mm) seeds.

The records from Arizona and Oregon are based on old collections, Porter 802 (Devil’s Canyon, 22 Feb 1926, US) and Howell s.n. (near Cobarg, Willamette Valley, 7 Apr 1887, US); it is not known if these records represent introductions or remnants of a previously wider distribution.

(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. 296. 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. aurea, D. aureola, D. bifurcata, D. borealis, 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 Abdra brachycarpa D. magellanica subsp. cinerea
Name authority Nuttall ex Torrey & A. Gray: Fl. N. Amer. 1: 108. (1838) Adams: Mém Soc. Imp. Naturalistes Moscou 5: 103. (1817)
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).



Type/paste one or more Latin names into the boxes above; matching taxa will show up below the box as you type. You can use the up/down arrow keys to move through the list.

(If the plant you're looking for doesn't show up in the auto-complete list, that means it either isn't described in Flora of North America yet, or it's listed under a synonym. And please note that Flora of North America is still missing several plant families, including Fabaceae, Apiaceae, Boraginaceae, and Polemoniaceae.)

Choose a data source: Flora of North America, OregonFlora

The species comparison tool is brought to you by:
Northwest Wildflowers