Taxon Report

Draba saxosa Davidson

Southern California rock draba

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Taxon Summary

Draba saxosa, commonly known as Southern California rock draba, is a perennial herb in the Brassicaceae that is found only in California. It occurs within Alpine boulder and rock field, Subalpine coniferous forest, and Upper montane coniferous forest, growing at elevations from 2440 to 3600 meters. Draba saxosa is ranked 1B.3, Plants Rare, Threatened or Endangered in California and Elsewhere; Not very threatened in California.


  Classification

Scientific Name:
Draba saxosa Davidson
Common Name:
Southern California rock draba
Family: Brassicaceae
Element Code: PDBRA110Q2
USDA Plants Symbol:
Synonyms/Other Names:
  • Draba corrugata var. saxosa

Ecology and Life History

Lifeform: perennial herb
Blooming Period: Jun-Sep Jun-Sep
Elevation: 2440-3600 (8005-11810)
General Habitats: Alpine boulder and rock field, Subalpine coniferous forest, Upper montane coniferous forest
Microhabitat: Rocky
Microhabitat Details:

Occurrence Data from the CNDDB

Total Occurrences: 8
Element Occurrence Ranks:
   Excellent (A) 0
   Good (B) 1
   Fair (C) 0
   Poor (D) 0
   None (X) 0
   Unknown (U) 7
California Endemic:  True
California Counties and Islands: Name (Code)
Riverside (RIV)
Quads: Name (Quad Code)
San Jacinto Peak (3311676), Toro Peak (3311654)

Notes

Known only from the San Jacinto and Santa Rosa mountains. Possibly threatened by recreational activities. See Bulletin of the Southern California Academy of Sciences 19(1):11 (1920) for original description, Bulletin of the Torrey Botanical Club 49(12):352 (1922) for revised nomenclature, and University of Washington Publications in Biology 11:33 (1941) for taxonomic treatment.
Threats:
Taxonomy:
Citation California Native Plant Society, Rare Plant Program. 2025. Rare Plant Inventory (online edition, v9.5.1). Website https://www.rareplants.cnps.org [accessed 12 July 2025].