Page author: Hattie Palmer
Draba praealta
tall whitlow-grass
Specimens
Photos

Distribution: Occurring on both sides of the Cascades crest in Washington; Alaska to California, e to Northwest Territories, Alberta Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, and central Nevada.

Habitat: Montane woodland to subalpine ridges.

Flowers: June-August

Origin: Native

Growth Duration: Biennial, Perennial

Conservation Status: Not of concern

Pollination: Self-pollination, bees, flies

Description:
General:

Annuals or short-lived perennials; base branching or unbranched; stems 0.8-3.2 dm, branching or none, pubescence with primarily 3-5-rayed trichomes, and simple and 2-rayed trichomes.

Leaves:

Basal leaves forming rosettes, petioles negligent and ciliate toward base with simple and 2-rayed trichomes, blades oblanceolate, 1-3.5 cm long and 1.5-7 mm broad, margins dentate or rarely entire, pubescence above and beneath; upper surface trichomes stalked, 3-6-rayed, 0.1-0.5 mm; lower surface trichomes simple, to 0.8 mm, with stalked, 3-5-rayed trichomes, 0.1-0.6 mm; cauline leaves generally 2-5, sessile, blade ovate to lanceolate, margins dentate or entire, pubescence same as basal.

Flowers:

Inflorescence racemose, usually 8-30 flowered, ebracteate, elongated in fruit; rachis rigid, pubescence same as stem; fruiting pedicels spreading to ascending or nearly erect, not appressed to rachis, straight, 4-10 mm, pubescent with 3-5-rayed trichomes and occasionally simple trichomes; sepals 4, ovate, 1.7-2.5 mm, pubescent with simple and stalked trichomes with 2 rays; petals 4, white, narrower towards base, 2.8-3.5 mm long and 0.8-1.2 mm broad; anthers 0.2-0.3 mm, ovate.

Fruit:

Siliques generally 7-12 mm long and 1.5-2.5 mm broad, somewhat lanceolate, plane, flattened; valves pubescent with simple trichomes and 2-4-rayed trichomes; ovaries generally containing 30-52 ovules; seeds oblong, 0.8-1.1 mm long and 0.5-0.6 mm broad, often abruptly pointed.

Accepted Name:
Draba praealta Greene
Publication: Pittonia. 3: 306. 1898.

Synonyms & Misapplications:
Draba cascadensis Payson & H. St. John [Abrams]
Draba columbiana Rydb.
Draba dolichopoda O.E. Schulz
Draba lonchocarpa Rydb. var. daseycarpa O.E. Schulz
Draba yellowstonensis A. Nelson
Additional Resources:

PNW Herbaria: Specimen records of Draba praealta in the Consortium of Pacific Northwest Herbaria database.

WA Flora Checklist: Draba praealta checklist entry.

OregonFlora: Draba praealta information.

E-Flora BC: Draba praealta atlas page.

CalPhotos: Draba praealta photos.

USDA Plants: Draba praealta information.

18 photographs:
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