Flora of North America species comparison

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Draba incerta

Draba grayana

whitlow-wort, Yellowstone Draba, Yellowstone Draba whitlow-wort, Yellowstone whitlow-grass, Yellowstone whitlow-wort

Gray's Draba
Habit Perennials; (cespitose, often pulvinate); caudex branched (dense with persistent leaf remains, branches sometimes terminating in sterile rosettes); scapose. Perennials; (densely cespitose); caudex branched (covered with persistent, somewhat thickened, dry petioles); not scapose.
Stems

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).

unbranched, 0.08–0.6 dm, densely to moderately pubescent throughout, trichomes simple and stalked, 2- or 3-rayed, 0.2–1 mm.
Basal leaves

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.

rosulate; petiolate;

petiole ciliate, (trichomes simple, 0.2–1 mm);

blade linear to linear-oblanceolate, (0.4–)0.6–1.5(–2) cm × 1–2 mm, margins entire, (pubescent as petiole), surfaces pubescent abaxially with simple and stalked, 2- or 3-rayed trichomes, 0.1–0.4 mm, adaxially glabrate or subapically sparsely pubescent with simple trichomes.
Cauline leaves

usually 0 (or 1, as a bract);

sessile;

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

1–4;

sessile;

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

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

rachis not flexuous, glabrous or pubescent as stem.

5–12(–16)-flowered, usually ebracteate, rarely proximalmost flowers bracteate, slightly elongated in fruit;

rachis not flexuous, pubescent as stem.
Flowers

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.

sepals ovate, 1.5–2 mm, pubescent, (trichomes simple and short-stalked, 2- or 3-rayed);

petals bright yellow, spatulate, 3–4.5 × 1–2 mm, (flared, clawed);

anthers ovate, 0.3–0.5 mm.
Fruiting pedicels

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

divaricate-ascending, straight or slightly curved upward, 1.5–6 mm, pubescent as stem.
Fruits

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.

lanceolate to oblong-lanceolate, slightly twisted or plane, flattened, 4–12 × 1.5–3 mm;

valves glabrous or pubescent, trichomes simple, 0.07–0.2 mm;

ovules 16–20 per ovary;

style 0.4–1.2 mm.
Seeds

oblong, 1.1–1.5 × 0.7–1 mm.

ovoid, 1–1.4 × 0.7–1 mm.
2n

= 112.

= 24 ± 3.

Draba incerta

Draba grayana
Phenology Flowering Jun–Aug. Flowering Jul–Aug.
Habitat Rock outcrops, talus, gravelly areas, tundra Alpine tundra, fellfields, gravelly wet meadows
Elevation 0-3300 m (0-10800 ft) 3500-4000 m (11500-13100 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
AK; CO; ID; MT; NV; UT; WA; WY; AB; BC; QC; YT
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
CO
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

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.)

Of conservation concern.

Draba grayana is an apomictic species clearly related to D. exunguiculata, with which it is occasionally sympatric (see discussion of 36. D. exunguiculata for distinguishing features). It is known from Chaffe, Clear Creek, Larimer, Park, and Summit counties.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Source FNA vol. 7, p. 313. FNA vol. 7, p. 310.
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. 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
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. 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. exalata, D. incerta var. laevicapsula, D. incerta var. peasei, D. laevicapsula, D. peasei D. streptocarpa var. grayana, D. alpicola
Name authority Payson: Amer. J. Bot. 4: 261. (1917) (Rydberg) C. L. Hitchcock: Revis. Drabas W. N. Amer., 29. (1941)
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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