Draba pterosperma
Winged-seed draba
(c) Matt Berger, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Brassicaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Conservation status: CNPS 4.3
Draba pterosperma (Winged-seed draba) is a native California herb in the Brassicaceae family, recognized by cushion habit and distinctly winged seeds.
Winged-seed draba is a rare (CNPS 4.3) California native perennial found in the central Klamath Ranges, specifically in the Marble Mountains of Siskiyou County, inhabiting marble and limestone crevices and scree at elevations of 1,500 to 2,450 meters. Flowering from June to September, this plant produces bright yellow flowers about 6 to 7 millimeters long with petals 1.5 to 2.5 millimeters wide. Growing as a compact, cushion-forming herb with unbranched stems 3 to 11 centimeters tall, it features distinctive wavy, branched hairs covering its surfaces. Its basal leaves are small, 2 to 7 millimeters long, obovate to oblanceolate, with dense, wavy, stalked hairs and delicate ciliate edges. The fruit is distinctive, widely ovate to lanceolate, 5 to 10 millimeters long with small winged seeds measuring 1.6 to 3 millimeters.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 5 sympatric species; key features are cushion habit and distinctly winged seeds
Habitat and range
Habitat: Marble or limestone crevices, talus, scree
Elevation: 1500-2450 m
California counties: Siskiyou
Bloom period
Draba pterosperma blooms Jun-Sep.
Conservation status
CNPS 4.3
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 pterosperma native to California?
Yes. Draba pterosperma is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Draba pterosperma bloom?
Draba pterosperma blooms Jun-Sep.
Where in California does Draba pterosperma grow?
Draba pterosperma occurs in Siskiyou, at elevations of 1500-2450 m.
What plant family does Draba pterosperma belong to?
Draba pterosperma is in the Brassicaceae family, genus Draba.
Is Draba pterosperma rare or endangered?
Draba pterosperma carries California Rare Plant Rank 4.3, state rank S3.
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.