Draba novolympica
Trelease's draba
(c) Trevor Van Loon, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Trevor Van Loon · licence
Family: Brassicaceae · Type: Perennial · Native
Draba novolympica (Trelease's draba) is a native California perennial in the Brassicaceae family, recognized by cushion habit and inflated fruit bases.
Trelease's draba is a California native perennial found in the northern Sierra Nevada Mountains on open, rocky slopes, talus, and scree at elevations of 1,500 to 3,700 meters. Flowering from June to August, this plant produces small, bright yellow flowers about 2 to 4 millimeters wide in compact clusters. Growing as a tufted, cushion-forming herb with unbranched stems less than 4 centimeters tall, it forms dense, low-growing mats of vegetation. Its basal leaves are small, oblong to linear-oblanceolate, densely covered with multi-rayed hairs, and range from 2 to 8 millimeters long. The fruit is a slightly inflated ovoid capsule 3 to 4 millimeters long, covered in distinctive multi-rayed hairs that give the plant a unique textured appearance.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 16 sympatric species; key features are cushion habit and inflated fruit bases
Habitat and range
Habitat: Uncommon. Open, rocky slopes, talus, scree
Elevation: 1500-3700 m
Outside California: western Canada, northwestern United States
Bloom period
Draba novolympica blooms Jun-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 novolympica native to California?
Yes. Draba novolympica is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Draba novolympica bloom?
Draba novolympica blooms Jun-Aug.
What plant family does Draba novolympica belong to?
Draba novolympica is in the Brassicaceae family, genus Draba.
What habitat does Draba novolympica grow in?
Draba novolympica grows in Uncommon. Open, rocky slopes, talus, scree.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-10-06
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.