Species: Draba breweri var. cana (Rydb.) Rollins

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Draba breweri var. cana (Rydb.) Rollins

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TAXONOMY

Family:

Brassicaceae

Genus:

Draba

Species Synonyms:

Draba cana Rydb.
Draba lanceolata auct. non Royle
Draba stylaris J. Gay ex W.D.J. Koch

Common Names:

lanceleaf draba
hoary whitlowgrass
lanceolate draba
hoary whitlow grass

DISTRIBUTION

Canada:

Yukon Territory - Mackenzie District (Northwest Territories) - Hudson Bay - Labrador, south to British Columbia - Alberta - northern Saskatchewan - southern Ontario - Quebec

Saskatchewan:

northern Saskatchewan; Lake Athabasca to Hasbala Lake

Ecoregion:

Tazin Lake Upland, Selwyn Lake Upland

HABITAT

Saskatchewan:

calcareous cliffs and outcrops

RARITY STATUS

Provincial Status According
to Harms (2003):

Threatened

Nature Conservancy Status:

G5 S1

Saskatchewan Species at
Risk Status:

None

COSEWIC Status:

None

Lanceleaf draba is threatened in Saskatchewan because it is rare and population sizes vary. This species is likely frequently overlooked, especially when not in flower.

SPECIES DESCRIPTION

Height:

10 – 30 cm

Roots:

taproot

Stems:

stem base woody, simple or branching; stems perennial, 1 – several, tufted, ascending or erect, simple or branched, thin, green-gray to purple, hairs star-shaped, forked and simple

Leaves:

basal and on the stem; basal rosette dense, leaves 5 – 20 mm long, 2 – 8 mm wide, narrowly spoon-shaped, layer of star-shaped hairs, margin entire or very sparsely toothed; stem leaves usually 5 – 8, at least halfway up the stem, alternate, sessile, 5 – 20 mm long, elliptic to oval, layer of star-shaped hairs, margin entire to very sparsely toothed

Inflorescence:

unbranched, often leafy bracted at base, about half the length of the stem in fruit; 10 – 50 flowers; stalks < 2 times the length of the pod

Flowers:

sepals about 2 mm long, long-hairy; petals 3 – 5 mm long, cross-shaped, white; style 0.4 – 1.0 mm

Fruits:

pods 6 – 14 mm long, 1.5 – 2 mm wide, narrowly lance-shaped, twisted at maturity, hairs star-shaped; stalks ascending in fruit; seeds 20 – 48 in two rows, reddish brown

DRABA KEY IN SASKATCHEWAN

1 Flowers yellow; stems very leafy or stalks 2 – 4 times as long as pod	2
1 Flowers white; stems with less than 10 leaves and stalks various	3

2 Stem leaves usually more than 10; stalks shorter than pod	D. aurea
2 Stem leaves 1 – 5; stalks 2 – 4 times as long as pod	D. nemorosa

3 Stem leaves all or mostly opposite; inflorescence umbrella-like in fruit	D. reptans
3 Stem leaves alternate; inflorescence elongate in fruit	4

4 Woody stem base absent; stem leaves on lower 1/3 of plant; stalks 2 – 4 times as long as pod	D. nemorosa
4 Woody stem base present; stem leaves usually at least 1/2 way up stem; stalks rarely 2 times as long as pod	5

5 Stem leaves less than 5; fruiting stalks spreading-ascending; mature siliques broadly lance-shaped, not twisted, with thick coat of minute hairs; seeds at most 36	D. cinerea var. cinerea
5 Stem leaves usually 5 – 8; fruiting stalks strongly ascending; mature siliques narrowly lance-shaped, twisted, with star-shaped hairs; seeds at most 20 – 48	D. breweri var. cana