Drabastrum alpestre

Mountain Cress at Bolaro, NSW

Drabastrum alpestre at Bolaro, NSW - 15 Nov 2016
Drabastrum alpestre at Bolaro, NSW - 15 Nov 2016
Drabastrum alpestre at Bolaro, NSW - 15 Nov 2016
Request use of media

Identification history

Drabastrum alpestre 21 May 2017 MichaelMulvaney
Drabastrum alpestre 15 May 2017 DavidMcKay

Identify this sighting


Please Login or Register to identify this sighting.

Significant sighting

MichaelMulvaney noted:

21 May 2017

This is a rare species, rarely recorded in our region.

User's notes

There were four small plants over an area of a square meter. Due to the size they appeared to have grown from seed that season.

4 comments

BettyDonWood wrote:
   16 May 2017
Possibly. I do not recognise this species on sight, and a dependent on a plant identification key to check the ID. Both keys on the internet depend on detailed charactistics of mature seed cases at several steps. Helpful characteristics that you could have photographed such as the whole plant and leaf shape, or field notes about habitat, are not provided.
Vicflora sums up: This species is rare throughout Australia and considered vulnerable in Victoria. It is characterized by its habitat; the stalked, branched hairs on the stems; and the more or less terete, obovoid to ellipsoid fruits.
DavidMcKay wrote:
   17 May 2017
I had previously been in contact with Dave Albrecht at CSIRO about some specimens I had left with ANBG. As there were only four small plants of this specimen I was reluctant to take a sample but Dave agreed to have a look at these photographs and thought that they were D alpestre. I have a fair idea of the location within 10 metres or so but could not find them again in the summer. I will look again in spring when I would expect flowers. Had I realised that they might be so unusual I would have clearly marked the site. The spot is a bit dry and wallabies do browse the area. I hope that they have survived and I can locate then so I can be a bit more methodical with observations.
   22 May 2017
I sought advice from John Briggs of NSW Office of Environment and Heritage who has much experience with this species and he was happy to confirm it as Mountain Cress.
DavidMcKay wrote:
   22 May 2017
Thanks Michael for your efforts and also to Betty who has provided much guidance on what I should look for when taking photographs for possible identifications. It is hard to believe how lucky I have been. I set of for a walk with a different object in mind and saw these four small flowers after only 100 metres or so. I did not recognise them so took a few snaps and continued on. A metre or two either side and I would have passed by. I consider it a privilege and hope I can relocate them next spring and possibly share the experience.

Please Login or Register to comment.

Location information

Sighting information

Additional information

  • True In flower
  • 10cm to 30cm Plant height

Species information

Record quality

  • Images or audio
  • More than one media file
  • Verified by an expert moderator
  • Nearby sighting(s) of same species
  • GPS evidence of location
  • Description
  • Additional attributes
1,900,056 sightings of 21,137 species in 9,345 locations from 12,987 contributors
CCA 3.0 | privacy
We acknowledge the Traditional Owners of this land and acknowledge their continuing connection to their culture. We pay our respects to their Elders past and present.