FNA: Draba oreibata vs. Draba spectabilis

	Draba oreibata	Draba spectabilis
	limestone Draba	showy Draba, showy whitlowgrass
Habit	Perennials; (cespitose); caudex branched (with persistent leaves, branches sometimes terminating in sterile rosettes); scapose.	Perennials; caudex simple or branched (sometimes with persistent leaf bases); not scapose.
Stems	unbranched, 0.2–0.9 dm, glabrous throughout.	unbranched, (0.7–)1.1–3.7(–5.3) dm, pubescent throughout (sparsely so distally), trichomes simple, malpighiaceous, or sessile and 4-rayed, 0.15–0.5 mm, (2 rays parallel to stem axis longer).
Basal leaves	rosulate; sessile; blade oblong to narrowly oblanceolate, 0.2–1 cm × 0.6–2(–4) mm, margins entire, (ciliate, trichomes simple, 0.1–0.5 mm, apex obtuse), surfaces glabrous.	rosulate; petiolate; petiole sometimes ciliate, (trichomes simple); blade oblanceolate to spatulate or obovate, (1–)1.5–4.4(–6.3) cm × (3–)5–12(–15) mm, margins entire or dentate, surfaces pubescent with sessile, often 4-rayed trichomes, 0.1–0.6 mm (longest rays parallel to midvein, lateral rays sometimes reduced to tiny spurs), sometimes malpighiaceous trichomes present.
Cauline leaves	0.	4–12(–17); sessile; blade broadly ovate to lanceolate or oblong, margins entire or dentate, (ciliate or not), surfaces pubescent as basal or adaxially also with simple trichomes.
Racemes	3–8-flowered, ebracteate, considerably elongated in fruit; rachis slightly flexuous, glabrous.	(10–)16–49(–61)-flowered, ebracteate, elongated in fruit; rachis not flexuous, pubescent as stem.
Flowers	sepals oblong, 1.7–2.5 mm, glabrous; petals white, oblanceolate to obovate, 3.5–4.5 × 1.2–2 mm; anthers ovate, 0.3–0.4 mm.	sepals ovate, (2.2–)2.5–4 mm, glabrous or pubescent, (trichomes simple and malpighiaceous); petals yellow, oblanceolate, 4–6.5 × 1–2.5 mm; anthers oblong, 0.5–0.7 mm.
Fruiting pedicels	divaricate-ascending to ascending, straight, 4–13 mm, glabrous.	horizontal to divaricate-ascending, straight or curved upward, (5–)7–20(–26) mm, glabrous or pubescent as rachis abaxially.
Fruits	oblong to narrowly so, slightly twisted, flattened, 5–9 × 1.5–3 mm; valves glabrous; ovules 8–16 per ovary; style 0.3–0.9(–1.2) mm.	lanceolate to oblong or elliptic, plane, flattened, (6–)7–13 × 2–3.5 mm; valves glabrous or puberulent, trichomes simple and sessile, 2-rayed, 0.03–0.3 mm; ovules 12–24 per ovary; style (0.5–)1–2.7 mm.
Seeds	oblong, 0.9–1.3 × 0.6–0.8 mm.	ovoid, 1–1.4 × 0.7–0.9 mm.
2n	= 32.	= 40.

	Draba oreibata	Draba spectabilis
Phenology	Flowering May–Jul.	Flowering Jun–Aug.
Habitat	Limestone cliffs, talus	Talus, rocky hillsides, meadows in open conifer forests, aspen groves, and alpine communities
Elevation	1800-2700 m (5900-8900 ft)	2000-3900 m (6600-12800 ft)
Distribution	ID [BONAP county map]	CO; NM; WY [WildflowerSearch map] [BONAP county map]
Discussion	R. C. Rollins (1993) and N. H. Holmgren (2005b) divided Draba oreibata into two varieties: the Idaho endemic var. oreibata and the Nevada endemic var. serpentina. 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, and distinguished by characteristics discussed by Al-Shehbaz and Windham. Draba oreibata, in the strict sense, is known from Blaine, Butte, Clark, Custer, and Lemhi counties. (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)	Morphological and chromosomal data suggest that Draba spectabilis is an allopolyploid resulting from hybridization between D. abajoensis and D. malpighiacea. The characteristics distinguishing these three taxa were discussed in detail by I. A. Al-Shehbaz and M. D. Windham (2007). Chromosome counts attributed to D. spectabilis by Windham (2000) represent diploid D. abajoensis. (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Source	FNA vol. 7, p. 325.	FNA vol. 7, p. 339.
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. novolympica, D. oblongata, D. ogilviensis, D. oligosperma, 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. serpentina, D. sharsmithii, D. sibirica, D. sierrae, D. simmonsii, D. smithii, D. sobolifera, 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. oxyloba, D. spectabilis var. bella, D. spectabilis var. oxyloba, D. spectabilis var. purpusii
Name authority	J. F. Macbride & Payson: Amer. J. Bot. 4: 257. (1917)	Greene: Pittonia 4: 19. (1899)
Web links	Local Web sites: PNW Herbaria 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: 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

Draba spectabilis

limestone Draba

showy Draba, showy whitlowgrass

Habit

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

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

Stems

unbranched, 0.2–0.9 dm, glabrous throughout.

unbranched, (0.7–)1.1–3.7(–5.3) dm, pubescent throughout (sparsely so distally), trichomes simple, malpighiaceous, or sessile and 4-rayed, 0.15–0.5 mm, (2 rays parallel to stem axis longer).

Basal leaves

rosulate;

sessile;

blade oblong to narrowly oblanceolate, 0.2–1 cm × 0.6–2(–4) mm, margins entire, (ciliate, trichomes simple, 0.1–0.5 mm, apex obtuse), surfaces glabrous.

rosulate;

petiolate;

petiole sometimes ciliate, (trichomes simple);

blade oblanceolate to spatulate or obovate, (1–)1.5–4.4(–6.3) cm × (3–)5–12(–15) mm, margins entire or dentate, surfaces pubescent with sessile, often 4-rayed trichomes, 0.1–0.6 mm (longest rays parallel to midvein, lateral rays sometimes reduced to tiny spurs), sometimes malpighiaceous trichomes present.

Cauline leaves

4–12(–17);

sessile;

blade broadly ovate to lanceolate or oblong, margins entire or dentate, (ciliate or not), surfaces pubescent as basal or adaxially also with simple trichomes.

Racemes

3–8-flowered, ebracteate, considerably elongated in fruit;

rachis slightly flexuous, glabrous.

(10–)16–49(–61)-flowered, ebracteate, elongated in fruit;

rachis not flexuous, pubescent as stem.

Flowers

sepals oblong, 1.7–2.5 mm, glabrous;

petals white, oblanceolate to obovate, 3.5–4.5 × 1.2–2 mm;

anthers ovate, 0.3–0.4 mm.

sepals ovate, (2.2–)2.5–4 mm, glabrous or pubescent, (trichomes simple and malpighiaceous);

petals yellow, oblanceolate, 4–6.5 × 1–2.5 mm;

anthers oblong, 0.5–0.7 mm.

Fruiting pedicels

divaricate-ascending to ascending, straight, 4–13 mm, glabrous.

horizontal to divaricate-ascending, straight or curved upward, (5–)7–20(–26) mm, glabrous or pubescent as rachis abaxially.

Fruits

oblong to narrowly so, slightly twisted, flattened, 5–9 × 1.5–3 mm;

valves glabrous;

ovules 8–16 per ovary;

style 0.3–0.9(–1.2) mm.

lanceolate to oblong or elliptic, plane, flattened, (6–)7–13 × 2–3.5 mm;

valves glabrous or puberulent, trichomes simple and sessile, 2-rayed, 0.03–0.3 mm;

ovules 12–24 per ovary;

style (0.5–)1–2.7 mm.

Seeds

oblong, 0.9–1.3 × 0.6–0.8 mm.

ovoid, 1–1.4 × 0.7–0.9 mm.

= 32.

= 40.

Draba oreibata

Draba spectabilis

Phenology

Flowering May–Jul.

Flowering Jun–Aug.

Habitat

Limestone cliffs, talus

Talus, rocky hillsides, meadows in open conifer forests, aspen groves, and alpine communities

Elevation

1800-2700 m (5900-8900 ft)

2000-3900 m (6600-12800 ft)

Distribution

[BONAP county map]

CO; NM; WY

[WildflowerSearch map]

[BONAP county map]

Discussion

R. C. Rollins (1993) and N. H. Holmgren (2005b) divided Draba oreibata into two varieties: the Idaho endemic var. oreibata and the Nevada endemic var. serpentina. 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, and distinguished by characteristics discussed by Al-Shehbaz and Windham. Draba oreibata, in the strict sense, is known from Blaine, Butte, Clark, Custer, and Lemhi counties.

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

Morphological and chromosomal data suggest that Draba spectabilis is an allopolyploid resulting from hybridization between D. abajoensis and D. malpighiacea. The characteristics distinguishing these three taxa were discussed in detail by I. A. Al-Shehbaz and M. D. Windham (2007). Chromosome counts attributed to D. spectabilis by Windham (2000) represent diploid D. abajoensis.

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

Source

FNA vol. 7, p. 325.

FNA vol. 7, p. 339.

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. 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. 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. serpentina, D. sharsmithii, D. sibirica, D. sierrae, D. simmonsii, D. smithii, D. sobolifera, 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. oxyloba, D. spectabilis var. bella, D. spectabilis var. oxyloba, D. spectabilis var. purpusii

Name authority

J. F. Macbride & Payson: Amer. J. Bot. 4: 257. (1917)

Greene: Pittonia 4: 19. (1899)

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

The species comparison tool is brought to you by:

Flora of North America species comparison

Draba oreibata

Draba spectabilis

Draba oreibata

Draba spectabilis