Flora of North America species comparison

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Draba hitchcockii

Draba densifolia

lost river Draba

dense-leaf Draba, dense-leaf whitlow-grass, Nuttall's Draba, Nuttall's whitlow-grass
Habit Perennials; (densely cespitose); caudex branched (densely covered with persistent leaves, branches sometimes terminating in sterile rosettes); scapose. Perennials; (cespitose, pulvinate); caudex branched (dense with persistent leaf remains, branches sometimes terminating in sterile rosettes); scapose.
Stems

unbranched, (0.1–)0.3–1(–1.3) dm, hirsute throughout, trichomes simple, 0.4–1 mm, and 2–4-rayed, 0.1–0.6 mm.

unbranched, (0.05–)0.2–1(–1.7) dm, usually glabrous, rarely pubescent, trichomes usually simple, 0.3–0.8 mm, and 2–4 (or 5)-rayed, 0.1–0.6 mm, (rarely predominantly simple ones).
Basal leaves

(densely imbricate); rosulate;

sessile;

blade narrowly oblanceolate to oblong-linear, 0.3–1.2(–1.5) cm × 1–2 mm, margins entire, (ciliate, trichomes simple, 0.3–1.2 mm), surfaces pubescent abaxially with stalked, 2–4-rayed trichomes, 0.08–0.45 mm, (midvein obscure), adaxially glabrous proximally, sparsely pubescent distally with mostly simple trichomes.

rosulate;

sessile;

blade linear to oblong or oblanceolate-linear, 0.3–0.9(–1.4) cm × 0.5–1.5(–2) mm, margins entire, (ciliate, trichomes simple, 0.3–1.2 mm), surfaces glabrous or sparsely pubescent, abaxially with short-stalked, 2–4-rayed trichomes, 0.1–0.3 mm (midvein prominent), adaxially rarely with subapical, simple trichomes.
Cauline leaves

0.

0.
Racemes

4–15-flowered, ebracteate, elongated in fruit;

rachis not flexuous, hirsute as stem.

2–10(–22)-flowered, ebracteate, not or slightly elongated in fruit;

rachis not or slightly flexuous, glabrous or pubescent as stem.
Flowers

sepals oblong, 2.5–3.5 mm, hirsute, (trichomes simple and stalked, 2–4-rayed);

petals white, obovate, 5–6.5 × 2–3.5 mm;

anthers ovate, 0.5–0.6 mm.

sepals ovate, 2–3 mm, usually sparsely pubescent, rarely glabrous, (trichomes simple and short-stalked, 2–4-rayed);

petals pale yellow (sometimes fading white), oblanceolate to obovate, 2–5 × 1–1.7(–2) mm;

anthers ovate or oblong, 0.4–0.6 mm.
Fruiting pedicels

ascending, straight, (2–)4–13(–18) mm, hirsute as stem.

divaricate-ascending to ascending (not decurrent basally), straight, (0.7–)1.5–10(–25) mm, usually glabrous, rarely sparsely pubescent, trichomes predominantly simple (0.2–0.7 mm), sometimes 2–4 (or 5)-rayed, (0.1–0.5 mm).
Fruits

ovate to broadly oblong or elliptic, plane, flattened, (3–)4–7(–10) × (2.5–)3.5–5 mm;

valves pubescent, trichomes simple and short-stalked, 2(–4)-rayed, 0.06–0.5 mm;

ovules 8–12 per ovary;

style (0.8–)1–1.7(–2) mm.

ovoid or ovate-lanceolate, plane (not curved), flattened, (2.5–)3–6(–8) × 2–3 mm;

valves pubescent or puberulent, trichomes simple and short-stalked, 2–5-rayed, 0.1–0.4 mm;

ovules 4–12 per ovary;

style 0.3–0.6(–1) mm.
Seeds

oblong, 1.4–1.8 × 0.8–1 mm.

oblong to ovoid, 1.2–2(–2.6) × 0.9–1.2(–1.4) mm.
2n

= 54.

= 36.

Draba hitchcockii

Draba densifolia
Phenology Flowering May–Jun. Flowering Jun–Aug.
Habitat Limestone outcrops and gravelly soil Rock outcrops and talus, rocky knolls, alpine ridges
Elevation 1800-2200 m (5900-7200 ft) 800-3700 m (2600-12100 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
ID
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
AK; CA; ID; NV; OR; UT; WA; WY; AB; BC
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Draba hitchcockii is known from the Lost River Range in Butte and Custer counties. Based on morphological and chromosomal evidence, M. D. Windham (2004) suggested that it may be an allopolyploid resulting from hybridization between D. oreibata and D. paysonii. Draba hitchcockii is superficially similar to D. jaegeri, a taxon known from the Charleston Mountains of Clark County, Nevada. Both are cespitose perennials with relatively large, white flowers and a chromosome number (2n = 54) otherwise unknown in Draba (Windham). Features distinguishing these two taxa are provided in the discussion of 51. D. jaegeri.

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

Draba densifolia is one of the most highly variable North American members of the genus, as evidenced by the extensive synonymy. The species is an apomict (G. A. Mulligan 1976) and it occupies tremendous geographic, edaphic, and altitudinal ranges. In forms corresponding to the type of D. sphaerula, the flowering stems are 2-flowered, and the stems, leaves, and fruiting pedicels are to 5, 1.5, and 0.6 mm, respectively. By contrast, forms comparable to the type of D. caeruleomontana var. piperi have stems, leaves, and fruiting pedicels to 17, 1.3, and 2.5 cm, respectively. Between these remarkable extremes fall all of the other populations of the species.

Draba densifolia is sometimes confused with D. paysonii, which it resembles, in being a cespitose, scapose, and densely pulvinate perennial having narrowly linear or oblong to linear-oblanceolate leaf blades with strongly ciliate margins. It is easily distinguished from the latter by having glabrous adaxial leaf blade surfaces, only sparsely pubescent abaxial surfaces, and often glabrous fruiting pedicels and rachises.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Source FNA vol. 7, p. 311. FNA vol. 7, p. 306.
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. graminea, D. grandis, D. grayana, D. heilii, D. helleriana, 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. 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 D. caeruleomontana, D. caeruleomontana var. piperi, D. glacialis var. pectinata, D. globosa var. sphaerula, D. mulfordiae, D. nelsonii, D. oligosperma var. pectinata, D. pectinata, D. sphaerula
Name authority Rollins: J. Arnold Arbor. 64: 500. (1983) Nuttall: in J. Torrey and A. Gray, Fl. N. Amer. 1: 104. (1838)
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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