Draba lemmonii
Granite draba
(c) Sam Eberhard, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Brassicaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Draba lemmonii (Granite draba) is a native California herb in the Brassicaceae family, recognized by ovate fruits and scapose habit.
Granite draba is a California native perennial found in the Sierra Nevada Mountains in rocky alpine habitats at elevations of 3,050 to 4,000 meters. Flowering from July to August, this plant produces bright yellow flowers 4 to 6 millimeters long with petals 1.5 to 2.5 millimeters wide. Growing in compact tufted clusters with stems 3 to 10 centimeters tall, it forms dense mats of delicate vegetation. Its basal leaves are oblanceolate to obovate, 4 to 10 millimeters long, with distinctive ciliate edges and simple hairs covering the leaf surfaces. The plant produces small ovate fruits 4 to 9 millimeters long that are slightly twisted and contain 10 to 16 tiny seeds.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 16 sympatric species; key features are ovate fruits and scapose habit
Habitat and range
Habitat: Common. Talus, rock crevices, rocky meadows
Elevation: 3050-4000 m
California counties: Fresno, Inyo, Madera, Mono, Tuolumne, Tulare, Mariposa, Alpine
Bloom period
Draba lemmonii blooms Jul-Aug.
How to tell it apart
vs Physaria: Draba has flattened pods; Physaria has inflated balloon-like pods.; vs Lepidium: Draba has flattened pods with 10+ seeds; Lepidium has flat round pods with 2 seeds per chamber.; vs Boechera: Draba pods short and broad; Boechera pods long and narrow like pencils.
Frequently asked questions
Is Draba lemmonii native to California?
Yes. Draba lemmonii is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Draba lemmonii bloom?
Draba lemmonii blooms Jul-Aug.
Where in California does Draba lemmonii grow?
Draba lemmonii occurs in Fresno, Inyo, Madera, Mono, Tuolumne, Tulare, Mariposa, Alpine, at elevations of 3050-4000 m.
What plant family does Draba lemmonii belong to?
Draba lemmonii is in the Brassicaceae family, genus Draba.
What habitat does Draba lemmonii grow in?
Draba lemmonii grows in Common. Talus, rock crevices, rocky meadows.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-10-07
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.