Draba lonchocarpa
Spear-fruited draba, Spear-Fruited Draba
(c) Jim Morefield, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Brassicaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Conservation status: CNPS 2B.3
Draba lonchocarpa (Spear-fruited draba) is a native California herb in the Brassicaceae family, recognized by linear fruits and white flowers.
Spear-fruited draba is a rare California native (CNPS 2B.3) perennial herb found in central Sierra Nevada Mountains at Convict Creek Basin and northern White Mountains in calcareous scree at elevations of 2,800 to 4,000 meters. Flowering from June to July, this plant produces small white flowers 2 to 3.5 millimeters long in compact clusters. Growing as a tufted herb with multiple stems 3 to 11 centimeters tall, it forms dense, low-growing clusters in alpine environments. Its basal leaves are oblanceolate to obovate, 3 to 15 millimeters long, with short-stalked hairs on the undersides and glabrous upper surfaces. The distinctive fruit is linear to narrowly lanceolate, 6 to 15 millimeters long, often slightly twisted and bearing simple or two-rayed hairs.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 16 sympatric species; key features are linear fruits and white flowers
Habitat and range
Habitat: Calcareous scree
Elevation: 2800-4000 m
California counties: Mono, Tulare, Inyo
Outside California: to Alaska, Colorado, eastern Russia
Bloom period
Draba lonchocarpa blooms Jun-Jul.
Conservation status
CNPS 2B.3
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 lonchocarpa native to California?
Yes. Draba lonchocarpa is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Draba lonchocarpa bloom?
Draba lonchocarpa blooms Jun-Jul.
Where in California does Draba lonchocarpa grow?
Draba lonchocarpa occurs in Mono, Tulare, Inyo, at elevations of 2800-4000 m.
What plant family does Draba lonchocarpa belong to?
Draba lonchocarpa is in the Brassicaceae family, genus Draba.
Is Draba lonchocarpa rare or endangered?
Draba lonchocarpa carries California Rare Plant Rank 2B.3, state rank S2S3.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · CNPS Rare Plant Inventory · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos · CDFW CNDDB
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.