Draba paysonii J. F. Macbride, Contr. Gray Herb. 56: 52. 1918; D. vestita Payson, Amer. J. Bot. 4: 261. May 1917, non Davidson, Bull. S. Calf. Acad. Sci. 15: 17. January 1917. TYPE: U.S.A. Montana. Upper marias Pass, 3 Aug 1883, 8200 ft, William M. Canby 28 (holotype, RM; isotypes, GH!, NDG!, WS!).

     Herbs perennial, cespitose, scapose, densely pulvinate; caudex branches many, creeping, covered with persistent leaves of previous seasons, some branches terminated in sterile rosettes. Stems 0.5–3 cm, often many from caudex, unbranched, densely pubescent throughout with a mixture of simple trichomes 0.4–1.3 mm and stalked, 2–5-rayed stellate trichomes 0.1–0.6 mm. Basal leaves rosulate, imbricate, sessile, linear to linear-oblanceolate, 4–12 × 0.8–1.5 mm, entire; abaxial surface with a prominent midvein, densely pubescent with stalked, 2–12-rayed trichomes 0.1–0.8 mm; adaxial surface with simple and fewer 2-rayed trichomes 0.3–1 mm; margin ciliate with simple and spurred trichomes (0.4–)0.6–1.4 mm; cauline leaves of flowering stems absent. Racemes ebracteate, 2–7-flowered, slightly elongated in fruit; rachis pubescent as stem, not flexuous; lowermost fruiting pedicels 3–9 mm, divaricate-ascending, straight, pubescent with a mixture of simple trichomes 0.4–1.4 mm and stalked, 2–5-rayed trichomes 0.1–0.6 mm. Flowers: sepals oblong, 2.8–3.5 mm, pubescent with simple and short-stalked, 2–4-rayed trichomes; petals pale yellow, oblanceolate to spatulate, (4–)5–6 × (1.5–)2–3 mm; anthers oblong, 0.5–0.7 mm. Fruits often broadly ovoid to lanceolate, (5–)6–9 × (3–)3.7–5 mm, somewhat inflated at base, not twisted, densely pubescent with simple and 2-rayed trichomes (0.2–)0.4–1 mm, these occasionally mixed with fewer, smaller, 4- or 5-rayed trichomes; style (0.6–)0.8–1.2 mm; ovules and seeds 8–12 per fruit. Seeds oblong, flattened, 1.7–2.2 × 1–1.4 mm, wingless.

Flowering: Jun–Jul.

Habitat: limestone rock outcrops, talus, and gravelly calcareous soil.

Elevation: 1800–3500 m.

Distribution: United States (Montana, Wyoming).