Panarctic Flora

672103 Draba simmonsii Elven & Al-Shehbaz

• Elven & Al-Shehbaz, Novon 18: 326 (2008). - Nomen novum for Draba alpina var. gracilescens Simmons, Vasc. Pl. Ellesmereland: 83 (1906). Lectotype (O!): Canada: Nunavut, Ellesmere Island, Goose Fiord, 7629'N, 8840'W, 20. July 1901, leg. H.G. Simmons 2888 (Elven and Al-Shehbaz 2008: 326).
• Draba oblongata sensu A.E. Porsild, Bull. Natl. Mus. Canada 135: 127-129, Pl. XVII (1955), non R.Br. ex DC. (1821).

Geography: North American (N): CAN.

Notes: Elven and Al-Shehbaz: Revision of a major part of the Canadian material (CAN, DAO, O) of the Draba micropetala aggregate in 2003 and 2007 forced us to separate from it a major part, besides D. pauciflora and D. micropetala. The third species, D. simmonsii (see Elven and Al-Shehbaz 2008), includes nearly a third of the investigated specimens from the Canadian Arctic. These plants differ from D. micropetala and D. pauciflora in leaves more narrow and subacute with predominance of coarse, simple hairs, petals much larger, narrowly obovate, and more clearly pale yellow, and fruits less hairy or glabrous. We have not yet seen parallels to these plants in material from the Eurasian Arctic or from Greenland (but they could be expected in northwestern Greenland). Draba simmonsii is common throughout most parts of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago and has been recognized previously by Simmons (1906) as D. alpina var. gracilescens with a nice illustration. Porsild (1955) gave a good description but under the erroneous name D. oblongata. Some of its features are found in the high polyploid yellow-flowered species, the hair features especially in D. corymbosa, and in D. pilosa s. lat. The morphology suggests that one of the species of the D. micropetala aggregate may be part of the parentage of D. simmonsii.