Draba hispanica

Draba hispanica is a perennial herbaceous plant in the mustard family (Brassicaceae) native to the mountains of the Iberian Peninsula and parts of southern Europe. It forms compact, cushion-like tufts or low mats arising from a woody, much-branched caudex, typically only a few centimeters tall. The narrow, linear to oblanceolate leaves are crowded into basal rosettes and densely covered with stiff, branched (stellate) hairs, giving the foliage a grayish-green appearance. In spring and early summer, slender erect stems bear small racemes of four-petaled yellow flowers characteristic of the family. The fruits are short, flattened, ovate to elliptic siliques containing tiny seeds. This species grows on calcareous rocky slopes, screes, and crevices in alpine and subalpine habitats, where its cushion habit and pubescent leaves help conserve moisture and resist the harsh mountain climate.