Draba sierrae
Sierra draba
(c) Trevor Van Loon, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Brassicaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Conservation status: CNPS 1B.3
Draba sierrae (Sierra draba) is a native California herb in the Brassicaceae family, recognized by twisted asymmetric fruits and larger flowers.
Sierra draba is a rare (CNPS 1B.3) California native perennial found in central Sierra Nevada Mountains in Fresno and Inyo counties, specifically inhabiting rock crevices and granite outcrops at elevations of 3,500 to 3,900 meters. Flowering from June to August, this plant produces bright yellow flowers approximately 4 to 5 millimeters long with delicate petals. Growing in tufted, cushion-like formations with extremely short stems between 1 to 4 centimeters tall, it forms dense, compact clusters among rocky terrain. Its leaves are small oblong structures 2 to 6 millimeters long, densely covered with branched hairs and growing in tight rosettes without cauline leaves. The plant produces small fruits 4 to 8 millimeters long that are lanceolate to elliptic in shape, often slightly twisted and covered with short-stalked, multi-rayed hairs.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 16 sympatric species; key features are twisted asymmetric fruits and larger flowers
Habitat and range
Habitat: rock crevices, granite outcrops
Elevation: 3500-3900 m
California counties: Inyo, Fresno, Mono
Bloom period
Draba sierrae blooms Jun-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 sierrae native to California?
Yes. Draba sierrae is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Draba sierrae bloom?
Draba sierrae blooms Jun-Aug.
Where in California does Draba sierrae grow?
Draba sierrae occurs in Inyo, Fresno, Mono, at elevations of 3500-3900 m.
What plant family does Draba sierrae belong to?
Draba sierrae is in the Brassicaceae family, genus Draba.
Is Draba sierrae rare or endangered?
Draba sierrae carries California Rare Plant Rank 1B.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.