Mount Belknap Draba
Draba ramulosa
NatureServe conservation status
Global (G-rank): G1
State (S-rank): S1
Utah Wildlife Action Plan status
- SGCN
External links
General information
Draba ramulosa is known from Beaver County and Piute County, Utah where it is known only from the slopes of Mt. Belknapp in the eastern Tushar Mountains. Mount Belknapp Draba is found above treeline in alpinus tallus and fell fields on limestone and igneous rock types. This rare species could be a reason to climb such a mountain just to see its tiny hardiness and miniature yellow flowers in bloom.
Description
Draba ramulosa is known from Beaver County and Piute County, Utah where it is known only from the slopes of Mt. Belknapp in the eastern Tushar Mountains. Mount Belknapp Draba is found above treeline in alpinus tallus and fell fields on limestone and igneous rock types. This rare species could be a reason to climb such a mountain just to see its tiny hardiness and miniature yellow flowers in bloom.
Phenology
Flowers from June to August
Diagnostic characteristics
Draba ramulosa is closely related to Draba sobolifera, which also occurs on igneous talus slopes of the Tushar Mountains. Draba ramulosa has grayish green leaves that are covered in finely branched hairs, and leaves that are both basal and loosely spaced on the flowering stem, the fruits are covered in once-forked and dendritically branched hairs and is known only from Mt. Belknap above treeline at the eastern end of the Tushar Mountains. Draba sobolifera has green leaves with hairs that are simple, once-forked or 4-rayed stellate hairs, the leaves are all basal and do not grow on the flowering stem, the fruit are scattered with simple hairs or can also be hairless and this species known across the alpine areas of the Tushar Mountains.
Species range
Found in Beaver and Piute Counties, Utah. Specifically known from the Tushar Mountains at 3355-3650 m elevation.
Threats or limiting factors
Recreational use are present within this species' habitat and are potential threats (Tate pers. comm., 2005 cited by Franklin 2005). Climate change is also a threat including droughts and rapid snowmelt (Alexander 2015).
Taxonomy
No, this species does not have taxonomic discrepancies