DRABA VERNA

Family and Genus:- See- CRUCIFERAE

Common Names:- Whitlow-grass

Homotypic Synonyms:- Draba verna var. macrocarpa, Drabella verna,

Erophila verna.

Meaning:- Draba (Gr) Acrid, a name used by the Greek physician and botanist

Dioscorides.

Verna (L) Of Spring.

General description:- Slender, scapose annual.

Stems:-

1) Solitary or several, up to 20 cm.

Leaves:-

1) Basal, in a rosette, spathulate to narrowly obovate, entire or coarsely dentate,

with predominantly 3- or 4-fid hairs (appearing stellate).

Flowers:-

1) Inflorescence racemose, flexuous, ebracteate.

2) Pedicels, 1.5-6 mm. filiform, subglabrous.

3) Petals usually 1.5-3.5 mm, bifid to l/3-1/2, white or reddish.

4) Sepals 1-2 mm.

Fruit:-

1) Silicula 3-12 mm, usually flat, linear or narrowly elliptical to obovate or

suborbicular, glabrous.

2) Seeds 0·3-0·8 mm, numerous.

Click here for a glossary of terms used.

Habitat:- Roadsides, field margins, open dry shrubby vegetation, open woodland,

dolines in mountains. 0-1100 m. (occasionally to 1900 m.).

Distribution:- Widespread and common throughout the Mediterranean. Widespread

and common on Crete, mainly around the four main massifs.

Flowering time:- Jan-May(-June).

Photos by:- Courtesy Wiki-Commons