YELLOW WHITLOWGRASS

Draba aizoides

Cabbage Family [Brassicaceae]

month8mar month8march month8apr month8april

status
statusZnative
 
flower
flower8yellow
 
flower
flower8white
later
inner
inner8orange
 
morph
morph8actino
 
petals
petalsZ4
 
stem
stem8round
 
rarity
rarityZrare
 

16th April 2015, Fox Hole, Southgate, Swansea, South Wales. Photo: (CC by 2.0) Geoff Toone
A gneiss find amongst rocks.


16th April 2015, Fox Hole, Southgate, Swansea, South Wales. Photo: (CC by 2.0) Geoff Toone
Most Whitlowgrasses (and there are only four) have white flowers, except Yellow Whitlowgrass. It likes to grow on rocky cliffs or walls on limestone, near the sea.


20th April 2016, Gower, South Wales. Photo: © Dawn Nelson
All the leaves are in the multi-layered basal rosette with no stem leaves.


20th April 2016, Gower, South Wales. Photo: © Dawn Nelson
The stems are a short 10cm long, occasionally up to 15cm. This specimen is growing on the basal rosette remains from previous years. It's been growing in that spot for a while now.


20th April 2016, Gower, South Wales. Photo: © Dawn Nelson
The flowers are a deep yellow and never fully splay out.


20th April 2016, Gower, South Wales. Photo: © Dawn Nelson
Flowers are few and on longish stalks, all near the top.


20th April 2016, Gower, South Wales. Photo: © Dawn Nelson
There are 4 yellow petals which are usually directed upwards.


20th April 2016, Gower, South Wales. Photo: © Dawn Nelson
There are 4 sepals set loosely around the lower half of the flower. The sepals are pale green with a yellow rim. Styles are 1-3mm, best seen in the floret just south of centre.


20th April 2016, Gower, South Wales. Photo: © Dawn Nelson
There are 6 yellow filaments with their cream-coloured anthers which protrude only slightly. The leaves are linear tapering abruptly at the end. Leaves with distinctive whiskers sticking out from the edges ov the leaves somewhat reminiscent of the sword of a swordfish.


16th April 2015, Fox Hole, Southgate, Swansea, South Wales. Photo: (CC by 2.0) Geoff Toone
As the flowers go to seed in April the flowers turn white but the sepals remain pale greenish with hints of yellowness.


16th April 2015, Fox Hole, Southgate, Swansea, South Wales. Photo: (CC by 2.0) Geoff Toone
The seeds are oval and still have the short style attached at the summit.


20th April 2016, Gower, South Wales. Photo: © Dawn Nelson
The leaves look somewhat fleshy, which is typical for plants growing near the sea. The plant is probably salt-tolerant growing as it does only near the sea. The hairs on the edge are white, all about the same length and spacing, and angled forwards.


20th April 2016, Gower, South Wales. Photo: © Dawn Nelson
Leaves multilayered and crowded; those nearer the centre shorter and angled upwards.


Uniquely identifiable characteristics

Distinguishing Feature :

No relation to : Grasses () [plants with similar names belonging to differing families].

It is a very rare [RRR] growing only near the sea on limestone rocks and cliffs. In the UK it is found only on the Gower Peninsula.


USE BY BUTTERFLIES
LAYS EGGS ON CATERPILLAR CHRYSALIS BUTTERFLY
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  Draba aizoides  ⇐ Global Aspect ⇒ Brassicaceae  

Distribution
 family8Cabbage family8Brassicaceae
 BSBI maps
genus8Draba
Draba
(Whitlowgrasses)

YELLOW WHITLOWGRASS

Draba aizoides

Cabbage Family [Brassicaceae]