Draba sharsmithii
Encyclopedia
Draba sharsmithii is an uncommon species of flowering plant in the mustard family
known by the common names Mt. Whitney draba and Sharsmith's draba.
bears several yellow flowers. The fruit is a twisted, lance-shaped silique
up to 2 centimeters long containing several unwinged seeds.
, where it is known from fewer than ten occurrences in rocky alpine
and subalpine
habitat.
Brassicaceae
Brassicaceae, a medium sized and economically important family of flowering plants , are informally known as the mustards, mustard flowers, the crucifers or the cabbage family....
known by the common names Mt. Whitney draba and Sharsmith's draba.
Description
Draba sharsmithii is a small perennial herb forming dense mats or cushions of hairy, oval-shaped leaves each no more than a centimeter long. The erect inflorescenceInflorescence
An inflorescence is a group or cluster of flowers arranged on a stem that is composed of a main branch or a complicated arrangement of branches. Strictly, it is the part of the shoot of seed plants where flowers are formed and which is accordingly modified...
bears several yellow flowers. The fruit is a twisted, lance-shaped silique
Silique
A silique or siliqua is a fruit of 2 fused carpels with the length being more than three times the width. The outer walls of the ovary usually separate when ripe, leaving a persistent partition...
up to 2 centimeters long containing several unwinged seeds.
Distribution
Draba sharsmithii is endemic to the southern Sierra Nevada of CaliforniaCalifornia
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, where it is known from fewer than ten occurrences in rocky alpine
Alpine climate
Alpine climate is the average weather for a region above the tree line. This climate is also referred to as mountain climate or highland climate....
and subalpine
Subalpine
The subalpine zone is the biotic zone immediately below tree line around the world. Species that occur in this zone depend on the location of the zone on the Earth, for example, Snow Gum in Australia, or Subalpine Larch, Mountain Hemlock and Subalpine Fir in western North America.Trees in the...
habitat.