Draba oligosperma
Few seeded draba
(c) Jim Morefield, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Brassicaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Draba oligosperma (Few seeded draba) is a native California herb in the Brassicaceae family, recognized by comb-like stellate hairs and inflated fruits.
Few seeded draba is a California native perennial found in the Sierra Nevada, northern eastern Sierra, and White and Inyo Mountains in alpine barrens, dry slopes, and tundra at elevations of 2,000 to 3,900 meters. Flowering from May to August, this plant produces bright yellow flowers 2.5 to 4 millimeters long in compact clusters of 4 to 12 blooms. Growing as a tufted, cushion-forming herb with unbranched stems 2 to 6 centimeters tall, it forms dense, low-growing mats in harsh alpine environments. Its leaves are small and linear, 4 to 11 millimeters long, covered in distinctive comb-like, star-shaped hairs with branches that point toward the leaf tips. The fruit is a small, inflated ovoid pod 3 to 6 millimeters long, containing 6 to 12 compact seeds.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 17 sympatric species; key features are comb-like stellate hairs and inflated fruits
Habitat and range
Habitat: Common. Alpine barrens, dry slopes, tundra
Elevation: 2000-3900 m
California counties: Inyo, Mono, Fresno, Tuolumne, Madera, El Dorado, Alpine
Outside California: western Canada, western United States
Bloom period
Draba oligosperma blooms May-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 oligosperma native to California?
Yes. Draba oligosperma is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Draba oligosperma bloom?
Draba oligosperma blooms May-Aug.
Where in California does Draba oligosperma grow?
Draba oligosperma occurs in Inyo, Mono, Fresno, Tuolumne, Madera, El Dorado, Alpine, at elevations of 2000-3900 m.
What plant family does Draba oligosperma belong to?
Draba oligosperma is in the Brassicaceae family, genus Draba.
What habitat does Draba oligosperma grow in?
Draba oligosperma grows in Common. Alpine barrens, dry slopes, tundra.
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.