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gray-leaf Draba, gray-leaf whitlow-grass

schell creek Draba

Habit Perennials; (cespitose); caudex simple or branched; rarely scapose. Perennials; (cespitose, often forming mats); caudex branched (elongated, with persistent leaf bases, branches sometimes terminating in sterile rosettes); sometimes scapose.
Stems

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).

unbranched, (0.15–)0.3–0.7(–1) dm, pubescent proximally, trichomes simple and spurred, 0.4–0.8 mm, and short-stalked, 2–4-rayed, 0.1–0.4 mm, (sometimes with simple trichomes distally).

Basal leaves

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).

subrosulate;

sessile;

blade oblanceolate to oblong, (0.3–)0.5–0.8 cm × 1–3 mm, (base ciliate, trichomes simple, 0.2–0.8 mm), margins entire, (not ciliate), surfaces usually pubescent, with stalked, (2–)4 (or 5)-rayed trichomes, 0.2–0.5 mm, adaxially sometimes glabrate, or primarily with simple trichomes, 0.3–0.8 mm.

Cauline leaves

0–3(–5);

sessile;

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

(0 or) 1–4;

sessile;

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

Racemes

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

rachis not flexuous, pubescent as stem.

(3–)7–15(–20)-flowered, ebracteate, elongated in fruit;

rachis not flexuous, pubescent as stem.

Flowers

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.

sepals ovate to oblong, 2–3 mm, pubescent, (trichomes simple, with fewer, short-stalked, 2-rayed ones);

petals white, obovate, 3.5–6 × 1.5–2.8 mm;

anthers oblong, 0.5–0.6 mm.

Fruiting pedicels

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

divaricate-ascending to ascending, straight, 3–10 mm, pubescent, trichomes simple and short-stalked, 2–4-rayed, (0.1–0.4 mm).

Fruits

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.

broadly or, rarely, narrowly lanceolate to elliptic or ovate, plane or slightly twisted, flattened, (4)5–8(–10) × 2–3.2 mm;

valves (each with distinct midvein), pubescent, trichomes simple and short-stalked, 2-rayed, 0.08–0.2 mm;

ovules 12–24 per ovary;

style (0.7–)1–1.8(–2.1) mm.

Seeds

ovoid, 0.6–0.8 × 0.4–0.6 mm.

oblong, 0.9–1.3 × 0.7–1 mm.

2n

= 48.

= 32.

Draba cinerea

Draba pennellii

Phenology Flowering Jun–Jul. Flowering May–Jul.
Habitat Rock outcrops, ridges, meadows, gravel beaches, stream banks, alluvial fans Rock outcrops and talus slopes in pinyon-juniper, sagebrush, mountain shrub, and mixed conifer communities
Elevation 0-500 m (0-1600 ft) 1900-3500 m (6200-11500 ft)
Distribution
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]
from FNA
NV
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

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.)

Of conservation concern.

Draba pennellii is known from White Pine County in east-central Nevada. It is easily distinguished from other white-flowered species in the region by its elongated, many-branched caudices, long styles, usually few-leaved or, rarely, leafless flowering stems, and distinct midvein on fruit valves.

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

Source FNA vol. 7, p. 300. FNA vol. 7, p. 329.
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. 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
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. 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. 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. magellanica subsp. cinerea
Name authority Adams: Mém Soc. Imp. Naturalistes Moscou 5: 103. (1817) Rollins: J. Arnold Arbor. 64: 502. (1983)
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