What's this?

Submitted by Lori S. on Sat, 02/27/2010 - 12:27

As above-zero (celsius, that is) weather has brought the feeling of spring to this area, I was out having a look at the troughs that have melted out of this winter's rather high snowfall. When I post-holed through mid-calf depth snow out to the Opuntia trough, I noticed something I can't identify, nestled into the base of the Townsendia rothrockii. Does anyone recognize it?

The trough contains, clockwise from lower right: Townsendi rothrockii, Arenaria 'Wallowa Mts.', Potentilla fruticosa var. pumila (now Dasiphora fruticosa), and a couple of Opuntia polyacantha. The second photo shows the little unknown, next to one of last year's old Townsendia seedheads.

Thanks in advance for any suggestions.

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Comments

Submitted by Mark McD on Sat, 02/27/2010 - 16:36

Hard to tell, but it looks like a Draba.  I'm glad I don't have to weed that trough... ouch!

Submitted by Lori S. on Sat, 02/27/2010 - 17:21

Fortunately, it needs little weeding... and I use needle-nose pliers if it does.   ;D

Yes, Draba certainly crossed my mind too.  It rather resembles Draba aizoides (see attached)... maybe... though perhaps there are a hundred others it also resembles, that I am not familiar with.   :)

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Submitted by RickR on Sat, 02/27/2010 - 21:33

I'm sure you already know how easy it is for Drabas to seed around.  Somehow they jump from pot to pots for me too.  I only grown four or five drabas, and am certainly no expert, but it sure does look like aizoides to me too.

Submitted by Mark McD on Sat, 02/27/2010 - 21:48

RickR wrote:

I'm sure you already know how easy it is for Drabas to seed around.  Somehow they jump from pot to pots for me too.  I only grown four or five drabas, and am certainly no expert, but it sure does look like aizoides to me too.

Draba aizoides should be taken as the "type" for a whole group of similar species (dozens), such as D. hispanica.  Nothing wrong with any of these, they are serviceable tiny alpine plants with cheerful yellow flowers in early sping.  I have a similar scenario as Lori, where my Townsendia rothrockii in a trough has Draba seedlings showing up all around, the Draba misnamed and not a North American native one as I first planted, but akin to aizoides.

Submitted by Lori S. on Sun, 02/28/2010 - 15:37

Thanks, Mark - that's good to know.  I find draba IDs quite baffling.  I have also received various slightly weedy drabas, mislabelled as other species (e.g. androsaces).  Oh well, it's all in a day's exploration of the alpine plant world!