Fewseed Draba, photo by Dorothy Tuthill, Berry Center

The award for first flower this spring goes to Draba oligosperma, the fewseed draba, or fewseed whitlowgrass.

Draba is a large genus of mostly small plants. (These minuscule plants are only about the size of a quarter, and maybe an inch tall.) Most of the approximately 380 species of Draba in the world, 121 in North America, and 26 in Wyoming, are alpine or boreal, where they inhabit some very windy and harsh habitats. Many species have quite small habitat areas, some even restricted to single mountain ranges.

Fewseed Draba, photo by Dorothy Tuthill, Berry Center​​​​​​​

Small plant, lots of character:

The name Draba comes from the Greek word “drabe”, which means acrid, as in the taste of mustard. Though the tiny size of most Drabas makes them unlikely targets for the salad, their membership in the mustard family (Brassicaceae) can be recognized from their flower shape (as well as flavor). Members of the mustard family have four petals that make the shape of a cross, hence another name for the group, the “crucifers.” Less appealing is the common name of the genus, whitlowgrass, that comes from their supposed ability to cure whitlows—nasty fingertip infections.