Golden Draba
Draba aurea
Mustard family (Brassicaceae)

Golden Draba (Draba aurea) is one of the most widely spread and noticeable of the many mountain Drabas. It is very similar and difficult to distinguish from Draba spectabilis found in much the same habitat and also very common in the Colorado Rockies. Because of an abundance of hairs, D. aurea tends to be gray/green. D. spectabilis tends to be bright green because it is glabrous (smooth, not hairy) or has fewer and less forked hairs. Seeing the hairs is difficult and requires a steady hand and a 10 power hand lens. D. aurea seed pods are hairy and often twisted and the seed pod stems are short; seed pods of D. spectabilis are glabrous and straight (but can be twisted) and its stems are long. There are many other Drabas found in the area, most are quite small, easily overlooked, and a great treat to meet. See Draba cana for a somewhat similar species. "Aurea" is Latin for "golden."

Description

Perennial not mat forming, stems to 16" (usually ~7-10"), one or often few, pubescent. Basal leaves 1 1/2" long, wider toward tip, entire or with tiny serrated edges, pubescent. Stem leaves few to numerous, broadly lance-shaped, ovate, or wider toward tip, to 1+", entire or often with slight denticulation, hairy. Racemes often with many flowers; sepals short, green, hairy; petals about twice as long as sepals, yellow. Fruit often contorted.

Field Marks

Gray-green hairy leaves, often toothed on stem leaves, bright yellow flowers.

© Al Schneider