FNA: Draba graminea vs. Draba serpentina

	Draba graminea	Draba serpentina
	Rocky Mountain Draba
Habit	Perennials; (cespitose); caudex simple or branched (with persistent leaf bases); not scapose.	Perennials; (cespitose); caudex branched (with persistent leaves, branches sometimes terminating in sterile rosettes); scapose.
Stems	unbranched, 0.1–0.5(–0.8) dm, usually pubescent throughout, rarely glabrous, trichomes simple or subsessile, 2-rayed or spurred, (crisped), 0.1–0.5 mm.	unbranched, 0.3–1.3 dm, glabrous throughout.
Basal leaves	rosulate; petiolate; petiole ciliate, (trichomes usually straight and simple, rarely also 2-rayed, 0.2–0.6(–0.8) mm); blade linear to linear-oblanceolate, (0.5–)1–4 cm × 0.3–2(–3) mm, margins entire (pubescent as petiole), surfaces glabrous.	rosulate; sessile; blade obovate to obovate-oblanceolate, 0.4–1 cm × (2–)2.5–4(–5) mm, margins entire, (ciliate, trichomes simple, 0.2–0.5 mm, apex acute), surfaces glabrous.
Cauline leaves	(1–)3–9(–12) (as bracts); sessile; blade linear to oblanceolate or lanceolate, margins entire, (ciliate proximally, similar to basal).	0.
Racemes	3–15-flowered, bracteate, elongated in fruit; rachis not flexuous, usually pubescent as stem, rarely glabrous.	6–14-flowered, ebracteate, elongated in fruit; rachis not flexuous, glabrous.
Flowers	sepals ovate, 1.5–2.5 mm, glabrous or pubescent, (trichomes simple and short-stalked, 2-rayed); petals yellow, spatulate to obovate, 3–5 × 1.5–3 mm; anthers ovate, 0.3–0.5 mm.	sepals ovate, 2–3 mm, glabrous; petals white, spatulate to obovate, 5–6.5 × 2–3 mm; anthers ovate to oblong, 0.4–0.5 mm.
Fruiting pedicels	divaricate-ascending, usually straight, rarely curved upward, 3–10(–15) mm, usually pubescent as stem, rarely glabrous.	divaricate-ascending, straight, 5–13 mm, glabrous.
Fruits	ovate-elliptic to lanceolate, slightly twisted or plane, flattened, 5–11 × 2.5–5 mm; valves glabrous; ovules 8–16 per ovary; style 0.2–0.7 mm.	lanceolate to narrowly oblong, slightly twisted or plane, flattened, 6–12 × 2–3.5 mm; valves glabrous; ovules 8–16 per ovary; style 0.6–1.8(–2.5) mm.
Seeds	ovoid, 1.2–1.5 × 0.7–1 mm.	oblong, 1.1–1.4 × 0.7–0.8 mm.
2n	= 18.	= 52.

	Draba graminea	Draba serpentina
Phenology	Flowering Jul–Sep.	Flowering May–Jul.
Habitat	Rocky areas and ridges, alpine tundra, gravel bars in streams	Rock outcrops, talus, and gravelly soil in mixed conifer and subalpine meadow communities
Elevation	3000-4100 m (9800-13500 ft)	3200-3600 m (10500-11800 ft)
Distribution	CO [WildflowerSearch map] [BONAP county map]	NV [BONAP county map]
Discussion	Of conservation concern. Draba graminea is occasionally confused with D. crassa, which occupies similar habitats and elevations. It is easily distinguished from the latter by having narrower [0.3–2(–3) versus 2.5–8(–10) mm wide] basal leaves and bracteate (versus ebracteate) racemes. It is known to us only from Hinsdale, La Plata, Ouray, San Juan, and San Miguel counties. (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)	Of conservation concern. Draba serpentina has been treated by other authors as a variety or synonym of D. oreibata. As indicated by I. A. Al-Shehbaz and M. D. Windham (2007), the two taxa are morphologically distinct, have different chromosome numbers, and are separated by over 480 kilometers. They are treated herein as separate species. Draba serpentina is known only from the Snake Range (White Pine County) and the Toiyabe Mountains (Lander County) in central Nevada. (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Source	FNA vol. 7, p. 309.	FNA vol. 7, p. 335.
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. glabella, D. globosa, 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. praealta, D. pterosperma, D. ramosissima, D. ramulosa, D. rectifructa, D. reptans, D. ruaxes, D. santaquinensis, D. saxosa, D. scotteri, 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	Braya graminea, D. chrysantha var. graminea, D. chrysantha var. hirticaulis	D. oreibata var. serpentina
Name authority	Greene: Pl. Baker. 3: 5. (1901)	(Tiehm & P. K. Holmgren) Al-Shehbaz & Windham: Harvard Pap. Bot. 12: 414. (2007)
Web links	Local Web sites: SW CO Wildflowers WildflowerSearch iNaturalist (observations) USDA Plants Database LBJ Wildflower Center SEINet Plants of the World Online Encyclopedia of Life Wikipedia Google Image Search	Local Web sites: CalFlora, CalPhotos WildflowerSearch iNaturalist (observations) LBJ Wildflower Center SEINet Plants of the World Online Encyclopedia of Life Wikipedia Google Image Search

Draba serpentina

Rocky Mountain Draba

Habit

Perennials; (cespitose); caudex simple or branched (with persistent leaf bases); not scapose.

Perennials; (cespitose); caudex branched (with persistent leaves, branches sometimes terminating in sterile rosettes); scapose.

Stems

unbranched, 0.1–0.5(–0.8) dm, usually pubescent throughout, rarely glabrous, trichomes simple or subsessile, 2-rayed or spurred, (crisped), 0.1–0.5 mm.

unbranched, 0.3–1.3 dm, glabrous throughout.

Basal leaves

rosulate; petiolate;

petiole ciliate, (trichomes usually straight and simple, rarely also 2-rayed, 0.2–0.6(–0.8) mm);

blade linear to linear-oblanceolate, (0.5–)1–4 cm × 0.3–2(–3) mm, margins entire (pubescent as petiole), surfaces glabrous.

rosulate;

sessile;

blade obovate to obovate-oblanceolate, 0.4–1 cm × (2–)2.5–4(–5) mm, margins entire, (ciliate, trichomes simple, 0.2–0.5 mm, apex acute), surfaces glabrous.

Cauline leaves

(1–)3–9(–12) (as bracts);

sessile;

blade linear to oblanceolate or lanceolate, margins entire, (ciliate proximally, similar to basal).

Racemes

3–15-flowered, bracteate, elongated in fruit;

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

6–14-flowered, ebracteate, elongated in fruit;

rachis not flexuous, glabrous.

Flowers

sepals ovate, 1.5–2.5 mm, glabrous or pubescent, (trichomes simple and short-stalked, 2-rayed);

petals yellow, spatulate to obovate, 3–5 × 1.5–3 mm;

anthers ovate, 0.3–0.5 mm.

sepals ovate, 2–3 mm, glabrous;

petals white, spatulate to obovate, 5–6.5 × 2–3 mm;

anthers ovate to oblong, 0.4–0.5 mm.

Fruiting pedicels

divaricate-ascending, usually straight, rarely curved upward, 3–10(–15) mm, usually pubescent as stem, rarely glabrous.

divaricate-ascending, straight, 5–13 mm, glabrous.

Fruits

ovate-elliptic to lanceolate, slightly twisted or plane, flattened, 5–11 × 2.5–5 mm;

valves glabrous;

ovules 8–16 per ovary;

style 0.2–0.7 mm.

lanceolate to narrowly oblong, slightly twisted or plane, flattened, 6–12 × 2–3.5 mm;

valves glabrous;

ovules 8–16 per ovary;

style 0.6–1.8(–2.5) mm.

Seeds

ovoid, 1.2–1.5 × 0.7–1 mm.

oblong, 1.1–1.4 × 0.7–0.8 mm.

= 18.

= 52.

Draba serpentina

Phenology

Flowering Jul–Sep.

Flowering May–Jul.

Habitat

Rocky areas and ridges, alpine tundra, gravel bars in streams

Rock outcrops, talus, and gravelly soil in mixed conifer and subalpine meadow communities

Elevation

3000-4100 m (9800-13500 ft)

3200-3600 m (10500-11800 ft)

Distribution

[WildflowerSearch map]

[BONAP county map]

Discussion

Of conservation concern.

Draba graminea is occasionally confused with D. crassa, which occupies similar habitats and elevations. It is easily distinguished from the latter by having narrower [0.3–2(–3) versus 2.5–8(–10) mm wide] basal leaves and bracteate (versus ebracteate) racemes. It is known to us only from Hinsdale, La Plata, Ouray, San Juan, and San Miguel counties.

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

Of conservation concern.

Draba serpentina has been treated by other authors as a variety or synonym of D. oreibata. As indicated by I. A. Al-Shehbaz and M. D. Windham (2007), the two taxa are morphologically distinct, have different chromosome numbers, and are separated by over 480 kilometers. They are treated herein as separate species. Draba serpentina is known only from the Snake Range (White Pine County) and the Toiyabe Mountains (Lander County) in central Nevada.

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

Source

FNA vol. 7, p. 309.

FNA vol. 7, p. 335.

Parent taxa

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. glabella, D. globosa, 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. praealta, D. pterosperma, D. ramosissima, D. ramulosa, D. rectifructa, D. reptans, D. ruaxes, D. santaquinensis, D. saxosa, D. scotteri, 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

Braya graminea, D. chrysantha var. graminea, D. chrysantha var. hirticaulis

D. oreibata var. serpentina

Name authority

Greene: Pl. Baker. 3: 5. (1901)

(Tiehm & P. K. Holmgren) Al-Shehbaz & Windham: Harvard Pap. Bot. 12: 414. (2007)

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).

Choose a data source: Flora of North America

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Flora of North America species comparison

Draba graminea

Draba serpentina

Draba graminea

Draba serpentina