Draba californica

(Jepson) Rollins & R. A. Price

Aliso 12: 19. 1988.

Endemic
Basionym: Draba cuneifolia var. californica Jepson Man. Fl. Pl. Calif., 443. 1925
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 7. Treatment on page 298. Mentioned on page 275, 277, 283.

Perennials; (short-lived); caudex simple or branched; sometimes scapose. Stems unbranched or branched (few), (0.2–)0.4–0.9(–1.2) dm, pubescent throughout, trichomes stellate, 4–8-rayed, 0.05–0.5 mm. Basal leaves rosulate; shortly petiolate; petiole ciliate, margin not ciliate, (trichomes simple and 2-rayed, 0.3–1 mm); blade oblanceolate, 0.6–2 cm × 1.5–4(–6) mm, margins entire, surfaces pubescent with short-stalked, 4–8-rayed trichomes, 0.1–0.4 mm. Cauline leaves 0–3; sessile; blade ovate to oblong, margins entire, surfaces pubescent as basal. Racemes 3–13-flowered, ebracteate, elongated in fruit; rachis not flexuous, pubescent as stem. Fruiting pedicels ascending to divaricate-ascending, straight, (2–)4–9(–12) mm, pubescent, trichomes short-stalked, 4–8-rayed, (0.1–0.4 mm). Flowers: sepals (persistent until fruit maturity), oblong to ovate, 1.7–2.5 mm, pubescent, (trichomes short-stalked, 2–5-rayed); petals white or creamy white, spatulate to oblanceolate, 2.2–3 × 0.8–1 mm; anthers ovate, 0.2–0.35 mm. Fruits lanceolate to oblong, plane, slightly flattened, (5–)6–9(–11) × 1.8–2.5 mm; valves usually pubescent, rarely glabrous, trichomes simple and short-stalked, 2- or 3-rayed, 0.05–0.25 mm; ovules 22–32 per ovary; style 0.1–0.3(–0.4) mm. Seeds oblong, 0.8–1 × 0.5–0.6 mm.


Phenology: Flowering Jun–Aug.
Habitat: Grassy meadows, alpine areas, fellfields
Elevation: 3200-4000 m

Discussion

Although originally treated as a variety of Draba cuneifolia, D. californica is but distantly related to that species. Instead, ongoing studies (L. Allphin and M. D. Windham, unpubl.) suggest that it may be an allopolyploid resulting from hybridization between D. albertina and D. breweri. The species is restricted to the White Mountains in Mono County, California, and adjacent Esmeralda County, Nevada.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.
... more about "Draba californica"
Ihsan A. Al-Shehbaz +, Michael D. Windham +  and Reidar Elven +
(Jepson) Rollins & R. A. Price +
Draba cuneifolia var. californica +
Calif. +  and Nev. +
3200-4000 m +
Grassy meadows, alpine areas, fellfields +
Flowering Jun–Aug. +
Abdra +, Erophila +, Nesodraba +  and Tomostima +
Draba californica +
species +