Draba sharsmithii
Mount whitney draba, Mount Whitney Draba
(c) Trevor Van Loon, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Brassicaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Conservation status: CNPS 1B.3
Draba sharsmithii (Mount whitney draba) is a native California herb in the Brassicaceae family, recognized by glabrous stems/pedicels and twisted curved fruits.
Mount whitney draba is a rare (CNPS 1B.3) California native perennial found in southern Sierra Nevada Mountains in Fresno and Inyo counties, inhabiting rocky slopes and crevices at elevations of 3,300 to 3,800 meters. Flowering from July to August, this plant produces small, bright yellow flowers 4 to 6 millimeters long in compact clusters. Growing as a densely tufted, unbranched herb just 3 to 7 centimeters tall, it forms tight, low-growing clusters in alpine environments. Its leaves are small, 4 to 7 millimeters long, oblanceolate to oblong in shape, with delicate white ciliate margins and short-stalked, multi-rayed hairs on the leaf surface. The fruit is an oblong to lanceolate pod 8 to 15 millimeters long, slightly twisted and curved, typically glabrous.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 16 sympatric species; key features are glabrous stems/pedicels and twisted curved fruits
Habitat and range
Habitat: rock crevices, slopes
Elevation: 3300-3800 m
California counties: Inyo, Fresno
Bloom period
Draba sharsmithii blooms Jul-Aug.
Conservation status
CNPS 1B.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 sharsmithii native to California?
Yes. Draba sharsmithii is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Draba sharsmithii bloom?
Draba sharsmithii blooms Jul-Aug.
Where in California does Draba sharsmithii grow?
Draba sharsmithii occurs in Inyo, Fresno, at elevations of 3300-3800 m.
What plant family does Draba sharsmithii belong to?
Draba sharsmithii is in the Brassicaceae family, genus Draba.
Is Draba sharsmithii rare or endangered?
Draba sharsmithii carries California Rare Plant Rank 1B.3, state rank S2.
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.