Draba gracillima J. D. Hooker & Thomson, J. Proc. Linn. Soc., Bot. 5: 153. 1861. TYPE: Sikkim, 10,000-11,000 ft, J. D. Hooker s.n. (holotype, K!; isotypes, E!, G!, NY!, P!, W!).

Draba granitica Handel-Mazzetti, Aklad. Wiss. Wien, Math. Naturwiss. Kl. Anzeiger 62: 143. 1925 (1926). TYPE: China. Yunnan: near Tibet-Burma border, between Salween and Irrawadi, alpine region, back of Mt. Gomba-La above Tschamutong, 4050-4100, 10 Jul 1916, Handel-Mazetti 9497 (holotype, WU!; isotypes, E!, W!).

Draba wardii W. W. Smith, Notes Roy. Bot. Gard. Edinburgh 11: 210. 1919. TYPE: China. Tibet: Ka-gwr-pw, Jul 1913, 15,000 ft, F. Kingdon-Ward 849 (holotype, E!).

Herbs perennial, slender; caudex with several slender branches terminated in rosettes. Stems 5–55 cm, decumbent, simple, very slender, somewhat flexuous, basally sparsely pubescent with short stalked, 3- or 4-rayed stellate trichomes, rarely densely pilose with primarily simple trichomes, apically glabrous. Basal leaves rosulate, persistent; petiolelike base to 7 mm; leaf blade broadly obovate, spatulate, to oblanceolate, 0.5–2 cm ´ 1.5–7(–10) mm, abaxially sparsely pubescent with short-stalked, 4-rayed stellate trichomes rarely mixed with more, simple and forked ones, abaxially pilose with simple trichomes replaced with forked or stellate ones at leaf apex, rarely blade glabrous except for margin, base cuneate to attenuate, margin denticulate or subentire, often ciliate, apex subacute or obtuse; cauline leaves 2–6, sessile, ovate, 2–7 ´ 1–3 mm, pubescent as basal leaves, base obtuse, not auriculate, margin entire or denticulate, apex acute. Racemes 3–10(–12)-flowered, ebracteate or lowermost flowers bracteate, lax, elongated considerably in fruit; fruiting pedicels 0.4–4 cm, filiform, glabrous, lowermost longest and strongly recurved, uppermost straight and ascending. Sepals oblong, 1.5–2 ´ 0.6–1.5 mm, erect, glabrous or rarely with a few trichomes, not saccate, margin narrowly membranous; petals pale yellow or yellowish white, narrowly obovate to oblanceolate, 2.5–3.5 ´ 0.8–1.5 mm, apex obtuse or subemarginate; claw absent; filaments 1.2–2 mm; anthers ovate, 0.2–0.4 mm; lateral nectar glands 1 on each side of lateral stamen or connected below, median glands absent; ovules 10–20 per ovary. Fruit narrowly oblong, linear, or linear-lanceolate, (0.5–)0.7–1.3(–1.8) cm ´ 1–2 mm, pendulous, latiseptate, not twisted; valves glabrous, not veined; style 0.2–0.5 mm. Seeds brown, ovate, 0.9–1.1 ´ 0.5–0.7 mm, subcompressed, wingless.

Flowering: May–Aug.

Habitat: mountain slopes, grassy areas, ravines, stony slopes, scree, alpine grasslands.

Elevation: 3200–5000 m.

Distribution: Bhutan, China (Yunnan), NW India (Assam, Darjeeling, Punjab, Sikkum), Nepal.