Flora of North America species comparison

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Draba novolympica

Draba arctica

Mt. Olympic Draba, Olympic Draba, Olympic Mountains Draba, Payson's Draba, Payson's whitlow-grass, Trelease's Draba, Trelease's whitlow-grass

arctic whitlowgrass
Habit Perennials; (cespitose, densely pulvinate); caudex branched (covered with persistent leaves, branches creeping, sometimes terminating in sterile rosettes); scapose. Perennials; (cespitose, not pulvinate); caudex simple or branched; rarely scapose.
Stems

unbranched, 0.05–0.4 dm, densely pubescent throughout, trichomes simple, 0.4–0.8 mm, and stalked, 2–5-rayed, 0.1–0.5 mm.

unbranched, 0.3–1.7(–2.4) dm, pubescent, trichomes 4–10-rayed (rays sometimes branched), 0.1–0.3 mm, with fewer, simple ones, to 0.7 mm.
Basal leaves

(densely imbricate); rosulate;

sessile;

blade oblong to linear-oblanceolate, 0.2–0.8 cm × 0.5–1.5 mm, margins entire, (ciliate, trichomes simple and spurred, 0.3–1.2 mm), surfaces densely pubescent, abaxially with stalked, 2–12-rayed stellate trichomes, 0.1–0.6 mm, adaxially with simple and 2-rayed ones, 0.3–0.8 mm.

rosulate; petiolate;

petiole base ciliate, (trichomes simple, 0.2–0.8 mm);

blade oblanceolate to narrowly obovate, 0.4–2.3(–3) cm × 1.5–6.5 mm, margins usually entire, rarely with 1 tooth on each side, surfaces densely pubescent with minutely stalked, 8–12-rayed, stellate trichomes, 0.2–0.4 mm, sometimes with coarser, simple or 2-rayed ones, (midvein distinct abaxially).
Cauline leaves

0.

0 or 1(–3);

sessile;

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

2–12-flowered, ebracteate, slightly elongated in fruit;

rachis not flexuous, pubescent as stem.

3–18(–25)-flowered, ebracteate, elongated in fruit;

rachis not flexuous, pubescent as stem.
Flowers

sepals oblong, 1.5–2.5 mm, pubescent, (trichomes simple and short-stalked, 2–4-rayed);

petals bright yellow, oblanceolate to spatulate, 2–3.5(–4) × 1.5–2 mm;

anthers oblong, 0.5–0.6 mm.

sepals ovate, 2–2.5 mm, pubescent, (trichomes short-stalked, 2- or 3-rayed, and simple);

petals white, spatulate to obovate, 3.5–6 × 1.8–2 mm;

anthers ovate, 0.3–0.4 mm.
Fruiting pedicels

divaricate-ascending, straight, 1–5 mm, pubescent, trichomes simple (0.3–0.9 mm) and stalked, 2–5-rayed (0.1–0.5 mm).

divaricate-ascending or ascending, straight, (1.5–)2–6 mm, pubescent, trichomes stalked, stellate, and, sometimes, simple.
Fruits

often ovoid, plane, slightly inflated basally (symmetric), (2.5–)3–4(–5) × 1.5–3.5 mm;

valves densely pubescent, trichomes 2–6-rayed, 0.05–0.4 mm, occasionally some simple;

ovules 4–8(–12) per ovary;

style 0.2–0.6(–0.8) mm.

oblong to lanceolate, plane, slightly flattened, (5–)6–11 × 2–3 mm;

valves pubescent, trichomes short-stalked, 2–5-rayed (some rays branched), 0.05–0.3 mm;

ovules 20–32 per ovary;

style 0.1–1 mm (stigma distinctly wider than style).
Seeds

oblong, 1.2–1.8 × 0.8–1.1 mm.

ovoid, 0.8–1.1 × (0.6–)0.7–0.8 mm.
2n

= 42.

= 80.

Draba novolympica

Draba arctica
Phenology Flowering Jun–Aug. Flowering Jun–Jul.
Habitat Alpine crests, open knolls, fellfields, talus, weathered shale, calcareous shale scree, rocky grounds and cliffs, subalpine conifer forests Clay flats, gravel, beaches, limestone outcrops, talus
Elevation 1500-3700 m (4900-12100 ft) 0-500 m (0-1600 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
CA; ID; MT; NV; OR; UT; WA; WY; AB; BC
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
NU; Greenland; Europe (Norway [Svalbard])
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Draba novolympica is the same taxon that C. L. Hitchcock (1941) and R. C. Rollins (1993) called D. paysonii var. treleasei, and G. A. Mulligan (2002) called D. paysonii. The two are amply distinct and should be recognized as separate species. Draba novolympica is easily distinguished from D. paysonii by having fruit valves pubescent with 2–6-rayed (occasionally some simple) trichomes 0.05–0.4 mm, sepals 1.5–2.5 mm, petals 2–3.5(–4) × 1.5–2 mm, fruits (2.5–)3–4(–5) × 1.5–3.5 mm, styles 0.2–0.6(–0.8) mm, and ovules 1.2–1.8 × 0.8–1.1 mm. By contrast, D. paysonii has fruit valves pubescent with simple and 2-rayed (some 4- or 5-rayed) trichomes (0.2–)0.4–1 mm, sepals 2.8–3.5 mm, petals (4–)5–6 × (1.5–)2–3 mm, fruits (5–)6–9 × (3–)3.5–5 mm, styles (0.6–)0.8–1.2 mm, and ovules 1.7–2.2 × 1–1.4 mm.

Both R. C. Rollins (1993) and N. H. Holmgren (2005b) indicated that Draba novolympica (as D. paysonii var. treleasei) occurs in Alaska and Yukon, but we have not seen any material from there, and it is likely that their records were based on misidentified plants. Previous reports of D. paysonii from Canada (e.g., G. A. Mulligan 1971b) pertain instead to D. novolympica.

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

As circumscribed here, Draba arctica consists of two distinct elements often recognized as subspecies (arctica and ostenfeldii; T. W. Böcher 1966); perhaps they are better treated as distinct species (D. arctica and D. ovibovina). Lack of adequate material and inability to examine all of the types in this complex prevent us from doing so.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Source FNA vol. 7, p. 323. FNA vol. 7, p. 291.
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. 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. 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. 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. 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. barbata var. treleasei, D. paysonii var. treleasei D. arctica subsp. ostenfeldii, D. arctica var. ostenfeldii, D. cinerea var. arctica, D. ostenfeldii, D. ostenfeldii var. ovibovina, D. ovibovina
Name authority Payson & H. St. John: Proc. Biol. Soc. Wash. 43: 113. (1930) J. Vahl: in G. C. Oeder et al., Fl. Dan. 13(39): plate 5, 2294. (1840)
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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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