''Draba graminea'' is a species of flowering plant in the

mustard family Brassicaceae () or (the older) Cruciferae () is a medium-sized and economically important family of flowering plants commonly known as the mustards, the crucifers, or the cabbage family. Most are herbaceous plants, while some are shrubs. The le ...

known by the common names Rocky Mountain draba and San Juan Whitlow-grass. It is

endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found elsew ...

to the state of

Colorado Colorado (, other variants) is a state in the Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It encompasses most of the Southern Rocky Mountains, as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of t ...

in the United States, where it is limited to the San Juan Mountains.''Draba graminea''.
NatureServe. This species is a small perennial herb forming a clump just a few centimeters tall. The leaves are linear to lance-shaped. The

inflorescence 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. Morphologically, it is the modified part of the shoot of seed plants where flowers are formed o ...

is a

raceme A raceme ( or ) or racemoid is an unbranched, indeterminate type of inflorescence bearing flowers having short floral stalks along the shoots that bear the flowers. The oldest flowers grow close to the base and new flowers are produced as the s ...

of up to 15 flowers with yellow petals up to half a centimeter long. The fruit is a flattened oval or lance-shaped silique up to 1.1 centimeters long.''Draba graminea''.
Flora of North America. This plant grows in high mountain habitat types, mainly in

alpine climate Alpine climate is the typical weather (climate) for elevations above the tree line, where trees fail to grow due to cold. This climate is also referred to as a mountain climate or highland climate. Definition There are multiple definitions of ...

s, and sometimes in the

subalpine zone Montane ecosystems are found on the slopes of mountains. The alpine climate in these regions strongly affects the ecosystem because temperatures fall as elevation increases, causing the ecosystem to stratify. This stratification is a crucial f ...

. It grows in rocky talus and

tundra In physical geography, tundra () is a type of biome where tree growth is hindered by frigid temperatures and short growing seasons. The term ''tundra'' comes through Russian (') from the Kildin Sámi word (') meaning "uplands", "treeless moun ...

habitat, most commonly in the latter. It grows in areas where snow persists most of the year. The soils are gravelly and sandy and mostly of volcanic origin. The plant can be found in rock cracks. Associated plants include '' Ranunculus macauleyi'', ''

Poa alpina ''Poa alpina'', commonly known as alpine meadow-grass or alpine bluegrass, is a species of grass with a primarily holarctic distribution. It is noted for being pseudoviviparous: in place of seeds, it sometimes reproduces asexually, creating new ...

'', ''

Festuca brachyphylla ''Festuca brachyphylla'', commonly known as alpine fescue or short-leaved fescue, is a grass native to Eurasia, North America, and the Arctic. The grass is used for erosion control and revegetation. The specific epithet ''brachyphylla'' means "sh ...

'' ssp. ''coloradensis'', ''

Geum rossii ''Geum rossii'' is a species of flowering plant in the rose family known by the common names Ross' avens and alpine avens. It is native to North America where its distribution spans northern Canada and the high mountains of the western United Sta ...

'' var. ''turbinatum'', and ''

Silene acaulis ''Silene acaulis'', known as moss campion or cushion pink, is a small mountain-dwelling wildflower that is common all over the high arctic and tundra and in high mountains of Eurasia and North America (Alps, Carpathians, southern Siberia, Pyrenee ...

'' var. ''subacaulescens''.Moore, L. and S. Friedley. (2004, September 30)
''Draba graminea'' Green (Rocky Mountain draba): a technical conservation assessment.
nline USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Region. Threats to the species are uncertain due to the remoteness and inaccessibility of the habitat. The main threat is thought to be recreational activity.

References

External links

USDA Plants Profile for ''Draba graminea''
{{Taxonbar, from=Q5304594 graminea Flora of Colorado Flora of the Rocky Mountains Endemic flora of the United States San Juan Mountains (Colorado) Endangered flora of the United States Plants described in 1901