Flora of North America species comparison

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Draba fladnizensis

Draba praealta

arctic Draba, Austrian Draba, Austrian whitlow-grass

Draba, tall Draba, tall whitlow-grass, tall whitlow-grass Draba
Habit Perennials; (sometimes cespitose); caudex simple or branched (with persistent leaf bases); usually scapose. Annuals or perennials; (short-lived); caudex simple or branched; not scapose.
Stems

unbranched, (0.2–)0.3–1(–1.3) dm, glabrous.

branched or unbranched, (0.5–)0.8–3.2(–3.8) dm, pubescent throughout, trichomes 3–5-rayed, 0.1–0.4 mm, with simple and 2-rayed ones, 0.4–1 mm.
Basal leaves

rosulate;

petiole (obscure), margin ciliate, (trichomes simple or 2-rayed, 0.25–0.6 mm);

blade linear to oblanceolate or narrowly obovate, (0.3–)0.4–1.2(–1.6) cm × 1–3(–4) mm, margins usually entire, rarely toothed, surfaces abaxially pubescent or glabrous, trichomes simple, sometimes with fewer, short-stalked, 2-rayed ones, (midvein prominent), adaxially often glabrous.

rosulate;

subsessile;

petiole base ciliate, (trichomes simple and 2-rayed, 0.2–0.8 mm);

blade oblanceolate, (0.7–)1–3.5(–4.5) cm × 1.5–7(–9) mm, margins usually dentate, rarely entire, surfaces pubescent, abaxially with stalked, 3–6-rayed trichomes, 0.1–0.5 mm, adaxially with stalked, 3–5-rayed, 0.1–0.6 mm, and simple ones, to 0.8 mm.
Cauline leaves

0–2;

sessile;

blade oblong to ovate, margins entire, (ciliate).

(1 or) 2–5(–9);

sessile;

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

(2 or) 3–11(–14)-flowered, usually ebracteate, rarely proximalmost flowers bracteate, elongated in fruit;

rachis not flexuous, glabrous.

(5–)8–30(–37)-flowered, ebracteate, elongated in fruit;

rachis not flexuous, pubescent as stem.
Flowers

sepals (green or purplish), ovate, 1.2–2.2 mm, glabrous or pubescent, (trichomes simple);

petals white, spatulate, 2–2.5 × 0.8–1.5 mm;

anthers ovate, 0.2–0.25 mm.

(late-season ones petaliferous);

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

petals white, oblanceolate to spatulate, 2.8–3.5(–4) × 0.8–1.2 mm;

anthers ovate, 0.2–0.3 mm.
Fruiting pedicels

divaricate-ascending, often straight, (1–)2–5(–6) mm, glabrous.

divaricate-ascending to ascending or suberect (not appressed to rachis), straight, (3–)4–10(–12) mm, pubescent, trichomes 3–5-rayed (0.1–0.4 mm), and sometimes simple.
Fruits

elliptic-lanceolate to oblong, plane, flattened, 3–8(–9) × 1.5–2 mm;

valves glabrous;

ovules 12–24 per ovary;

style 0.05–0.2(–0.3) mm.

(erect, not appressed to rachis) lanceolate to linear-lanceolate, plane, flattened, (5–)7–12(–15) × 1.5–2.5(–3) mm;

valves puberulent, trichomes simple and short-stalked, 2–4-rayed, 0.05–0.25 mm;

ovules (24–)30–52 per ovary;

style 0.03–0.1(0.15) mm.
Seeds

oblong to elliptic, 0.8–1 × 0.5–0.6 mm.

oblong, 0.8–1.1 × 0.5–0.6 mm, (often apiculate).
2n

= 16.

= 56.

Draba fladnizensis

Draba praealta
Phenology Flowering Jun–Aug. Flowering Jun–Aug.
Habitat Rock outcrops and talus, alpine meadows, sandy gravel Rocky pine slopes, subalpine areas, alpine meadows, grassy volcanic ridges, woodlands, damp rocky areas, limestone talus, shale cliffs, steep hillsides
Elevation 0-1400 m at higher latitudes, 3000-3800 m at lower latitudes (0-4600 ft at higher latitudes, 9800-12500 ft at lower latitudes) 1200-2900 m (3900-9500 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
AK; CO; UT; WY; BC; NT; NU; QC; YT; Greenland; c Europe; s Europe; Asia; circumpolar and high alpine areas
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
CA; ID; MT; NV; OR; WA; WY; AB; BC; NT; YT; e Asia (Russian Far East [Chukchi Peninsula])
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Rollins reduced Draba pattersonii to a variety of D. fladnizensis and separated the two primarily on plant size and minor differences in fruit shape. Examination of D. fladnizensis specimens collected throughout Europe and North America reveals that the alleged differences between the two taxa are artificial. The type material of D. pattersonii, which was collected in Colorado, is a mixture of plants highly variable in their type of indumentum. The specimens have no flowers, but the habit, fruits, and leaves are nearly indistinguishable from those of D. fladnizensis from higher latitudes.

In the absence of flowers, the white-flowered Draba fladnizensis (2n = 16) is often confused with the yellow-flowered D. crassifolia (2n = 40). The latter is an annual or short-lived perennial that rarely forms a well-developed caudex, whereas D. fladnizensis almost always produces a distinct caudex. Although most individuals of both species are scapose, they occasionally produce one or two cauline leaves. The cauline leaves are usually glabrous in D. crassifolia and ciliate in D. fladnizensis; in the latter, the distalmost cauline leaf usually subtends the proximalmost flower. Finally, the seeds in D. fladnizensis are slightly larger (0.8–0.1 × 0.5–0.6 versus 0.7–0.8 × 0.4–0.5 mm) than those of D. crassifolia, though the reliability of this distinction needs to be examined in greater detail. N. H. Holmgren (2005b) reported D. fladnizensis from central Nevada, but we have not seen any material of the species from that state.

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

Morphological and chromosomal evidence (M. D. Windham, unpubl.) suggests that Draba praealta may be an allopolyploid originating through hybridization between D. albertina and D. cana. Both R. C. Rollins (1993) and N. H. Holmgren (2005b) placed D. lonchocarpa var. dasycarpa in the synonymy of D. lonchocarpa. G. A. Mulligan (1974) indicated that the type of var. dasycarpa does not belong to that species and he correctly annotated its isotype (Macoun 64454, CAN) as D. praealta. Mulligan (1976) and Rollins indicated that D. praealta occurs in Alaska, but we have not seen unequivocal material from the state.

We have not seen the material on which A. E. Katenin and V. V. Petrovsky (1995) based their record from the Russian Far East.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Source FNA vol. 7, p. 307. FNA vol. 7, p. 331.
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. cinerea, D. corrugata, D. corymbosa, D. crassa, D. crassifolia, D. cruciata, D. cuneifolia, D. cusickii, D. cyclomorpha, D. daviesiae, D. densifolia, D. exunguiculata, 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. pennellii, D. petrophila, D. pilosa, D. platycarpa, D. porsildii, 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. fladnizensis var. pattersonii, D. pattersonii, D. pattersonii var. hirticaulis, D. wahlenbergii D. cascadensis, D. columbiana, D. dolichopoda, D. lapilutea, D. lonchocarpa var. dasycarpa, D. praealta var. yellowstonensis, D. yellowstonensis
Name authority Wulfen: in N. J. Jacquin, Misc. Austriac. 1: 147, plate 17, fig. 1. (1778) Greene: Pittonia 3: 306. (1898)
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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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