Flora of North America species comparison

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Draba glabella

Draba incerta

golden Draba, rock whitlow-grass, smooth Draba, smooth whitlow-grass, smooth whitlow-mustard

whitlow-wort, Yellowstone Draba, Yellowstone Draba whitlow-wort, Yellowstone whitlow-grass, Yellowstone whitlow-wort
Habit Perennials; (sometimes cespitose); caudex simple or branched; not scapose. Perennials; (cespitose, often pulvinate); caudex branched (dense with persistent leaf remains, branches sometimes terminating in sterile rosettes); scapose.
Stems

branched or unbranched, (0.4–)1–3.5(–4.7) dm, often pubescent throughout (sometimes sparsely so distally), sometimes glabrous, trichomes simple and 2-rayed, (non-crisped), 0.2–1 mm, or subsessile, stellate-pectinate, and 3–8-rayed, 0.1–0.3 mm.

unbranched, (0.2–)0.4–1.4(–2.1) dm, often pubescent throughout, sometimes glabrous distally, trichomes often simple and 2–5-rayed, 0.1–0.5 mm, (sometimes with mostly subpectinate ones).
Basal leaves

rosulate; petiolate;

petiole ciliate, (trichomes simple, 0.1–0.8 mm);

blade oblanceolate to spatulate or linear-oblanceolate, (0.6–)1–3.5(–5) cm × 2–8(–10) mm, margins dentate or denticulate, (pubescent as petiole), surfaces pubescent with non-crisped, minutely stalked, 4–8(–12)-rayed, stellate-pectinate trichomes, 0.15–0.6 mm, (midvein obscure abaxially), adaxially sometimes also with simple trichomes, or glabrous.

rosulate; petiolate;

petiole (0–1 cm), ciliate throughout;

blade narrowly oblanceolate to linear, (0.4–)0.6–1.7(–2.5) cm × (1–)1.5–3.5(–5) mm, margins entire, (ciliate, trichomes usually simple, rarely 2-rayed, 0.2–1.1 mm), surfaces usually pubescent with short-stalked, pectinate trichomes, 0.15–0.5 mm, sometimes also with 4–6-rayed ones, (midvein usually obscure abaxially), sometimes glabrous adaxially.
Cauline leaves

2–17(–25);

sessile;

blade ovate to oblong, margins dentate to subentire, surfaces often pubescent as basal, or predominantly with simple trichomes adaxially.

usually 0 (or 1, as a bract);

sessile;

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

(5–)8–26(–34)-flowered, ebracteate or proximalmost 1 or 2 flowers bracteate, elongated in fruit;

rachis not flexuous, usually glabrous, rarely pubescent as stem.

3–14(–30)-flowered, usually ebracteate, rarely proximalmost flowers bracteate, elongated in fruit;

rachis not flexuous, glabrous or pubescent as stem.
Flowers

sepals oblong, 2–3.5 mm, pubescent, (trichomes simple and short-stalked, 2–4-rayed);

petals white, broadly obovate, 4–5.5 × 1.5–3 mm;

anthers ovate, 0.3–0.5 mm.

sepals broadly ovate, 2.5–3.5(–4) mm, pubescent, (trichomes simple and 2- or 3-rayed);

petals yellow (fading white), oblanceolate to obovate, 4–6 × 1.5–2.5 mm;

anthers ovate, 0.3–0.5 mm.
Fruiting pedicels

divaricate-ascending to suberect, straight, (1–)3–10(–16) mm, glabrous or pubescent as stem.

ascending, straight, (2.5–)4–11(–27) mm, glabrous or pubescent, trichomes 2–5-rayed or pectinate.
Fruits

oblong to ovate or ovoid to lanceolate or linear-lanceolate, usually plane, rarely slightly twisted, flattened or inflated, (3–)5–12(–16) × 2–3.5 mm;

valves glabrous or pubescent, trichomes simple or 2–4-rayed, 0.05–0.2(–0.4) mm;

ovules (20–)24–36 per ovary;

style 0.05–0.2(–0.5) mm.

broadly ovate to lanceolate, plane, flattened, 5–9(–11) × 2–4 mm;

valves glabrous or puberulent, trichomes simple and 2-rayed, 0.05–0.3 mm;

ovules 8–16(–20) per ovary;

style 0.2–0.9 mm.
Seeds

oblong, 0.9–1.1 × 0.5–0.7 mm.

oblong, 1.1–1.5 × 0.7–1 mm.
2n

= 64, 80.

= 112.

Draba glabella

Draba incerta
Phenology Flowering May–Aug. Flowering Jun–Aug.
Habitat Rock outcrops, talus, rocky ridges and knolls, meadows, tundra, gravelly beaches sandy river margins, disturbed soils Rock outcrops, talus, gravelly areas, tundra
Elevation 0-1400 m (0-4600 ft) 0-3300 m (0-10800 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
AK; ME; VT; WI; BC; MB; NB; NL; NS; NT; NU; ON; QC; YT; Greenland; n Europe (n Russia); e Asia (Russian Far East, Siberia)
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
AK; CO; ID; MT; NV; UT; WA; WY; AB; BC; QC; YT
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Draba glabella was reported by J. V. Freudenstein and J. K. Marr (1986) from Michigan, but that record likely was based on plants of D. arabisans, a highly variable species that occurs in that state.

Draba glabella is extremely variable in indumentum, number of cauline leaves, fruiting pedicel length, fruit shape and size, style length, and seed number. M. L. Fernald (1934) divided it into five species and three varieties; R. C. Rollins (1993) recognized three species. Of these, G. A. Mulligan (1970, 1976) reduced D. laurentiana to synonymy of D. glabella and treated D. pycnosperma as a variety. Of all the segregates of D. glabella, var. pycnosperma might merit recognition. It is restricted to northwestern Newfoundland and northeastern Quebec, where var. glabella also grows. The main difference between the two varieties is the presence in var. pycnosperma of plump (versus flattened), ovoid to oblong fruits. Draba sornborgeri, recognized by Rollins as a distinct species, is merely a glabrescent form of D. glabella. Because of the tremendous morphological variability, wide distribution, extensive synonymy, and different chromosome numbers, D. glabella will require extensive molecular, cytological, and morphological studies to properly delimit the species and any potential infraspecific taxa.

Some forms of Draba glabella approach both D. borealis and D. praealta, but these can be distinguished by examining the trichomes on the abaxial surfaces of basal leaf blades. In D. glabella, these trichomes are minutely stalked or subsessile and have branched rays. In the other two species, the trichomes have long stalks and the rays are always unbranched.

The Linnaean name Draba hirta was applied to this species previously, and still is in Russia. The name is not typified, and the material at LINN is in bad condition and probably belongs to two species, D. glabella and D. norvegica, as recognized here. A typification of D. hirta may necessitate its re-introduction for this species.

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

Draba incerta was shown by G. A. Mulligan (1972) to be sexually reproducing and 14-ploid with x = 8. It is often confused with the apomict D. oligosperma (2n = 32, 64). Draba incerta is readily separated from D. oligosperma by having well-formed (versus abortive) anthers and pollen, stalked (versus sessile) leaf trichomes, and ciliate (versus non-ciliate) basal leaves with obscure (versus prominent) midveins. Although both species have leafless scapes, one often finds a bract adnate to, or subtending, the proximalmost pedicel in D. incerta.

Draba incerta is found near sea level in Alaska.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Source FNA vol. 7, p. 307. FNA vol. 7, p. 313.
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. fladnizensis, 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. 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. arabisans var. canadensis, D. arabisans var. orthocarpa, D. canadensis, D. canadensis var. pycnosperma, D. daurica, D. glabella var. megasperma, D. glabella var. orthocarpa, D. glabella var. pycnosperma, D. henneana, D. hirta var. laurentiana, D. hirta var. pycnosperma, D. laurentiana, D. megasperma, D. norvegica var. pleiophylla, D. pycnosperma, D. sornborgeri D. exalata, D. incerta var. laevicapsula, D. incerta var. peasei, D. laevicapsula, D. peasei
Name authority Pursh: Fl. Amer. Sept. 2: 434. (1813) Payson: Amer. J. Bot. 4: 261. (1917)
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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