Draba reptans
 
Creeping Whitlow-Grass

Whole Plant

Buffalograss Ecological Reserve
06-May-2020

The weak, undeveloped root and absence of old stems and caudex indicate the plant is an annual. There are both basal and cauline leaves on some plants and only basal leaves on others.  Note the siliques on this plant are early and will lengthen as they mature.  Note also this plant was photographed during a very dry spring.

Reptans: Answers to key questions in Budd's Flora and Manual of Montana Vascular Plants leading to this species. 

plants annual, lacking a branched caudex; NOT [plants obviously perennial, some plants with a branched caudex and flower stems from previous years]

upper stem glabrous; NOT [upper stem pubescent]

stem leaves all or mostly opposite; NOT [stem leaves alternate]

inflorescence short, with stems flexuous; NOT [inflorescence elongate]

raceme completely ebracteate; NOT [lowest pedicels subtended by bracts]

flowers white; NOT [flowers yellow]

pedicel shorter than mature fruit; NOT [lower pedicels much longer than mature fruit]

fruits pubescent; NOT [fruits glabrous]

 

Draba: Answers to key questions in Budd's Flora and Manual of Montana Vascular Plants leading to this genus. 

plants pubescent; NOT [plants glabrous]

plants not with very large basal leaves; NOT [basal leaves 40 cm long or longer]

siliques a few times longer than wide; NOT [siliques many times longer than wide (Boechera)]

siliques flattened parallel to the septum, at least twice as wide as thick; NOT [siliques flattened at right angles to the septum], NOT [siliques round, oval, or 4-angled in cross-section], NOT [pods subglobose]

silique not samara-like; NOT [silique oblong, wing-like, resembling a samara]

silique beakless, often with a short style at the tip <=1 mm long; NOT [silique with a large, usually seedless (sometimes 1-seeded), beak-like, upper portion and a seed-bearing lower portion]

silique rounded to pointed on top or obscurely indented; NOT [silique definitely indented or concave on the top]

silique opening lengthwise; NOT [silique globular, remaining on seed], NOT [silique elongate, breaking in two at the narrowed middle]

silique with >2 seeds per locule; NOT [silique with 1 to 2 seeds per locule]; NOT [silique 1-seeded]

seeds in 2 rows in each locule (sometimes rows are imperfect); NOT [seeds in 1 row per locule]

 

Cruciferae: Answers to key questions in Budd's Flora  leading to this family. 

herbs; NOT [shrubs or trees]

plants terrestrial or semiaquatic; NOT [plants aquatic, leaves submerged or floating]

plants not with colored milky juice

plants with more than one normal leaf

some or all leaves alternate; NOT [leaves opposite, whorled, or basal]

leaves without stipules, or having glands; NOT [leaves with stipules]

flowers with two floral rings

calyx regular; NOT [calyx irregular, some sepals smaller than others]

sepals 4

corolla regular in shape; NOT [corolla irregular in shape]

each petal distinct from the others

petals 4

stamens 6, four long and two short

ovary superior; NOT [ovary inferior]

carpels 1 or 2