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branch-lettuce, lettuceleaf saxifrage

Michaux's saxifrage

Habit Plants solitary or in groups, with bulbils on caudices. Plants solitary or tufted, with bulbils on caudices.
Leaves

basal;

petiole ± indistinct, (broad), flattened, 3–15 cm;

blade lanceolate to oblanceolate, 4–35 cm, thin, base attenuate, margins irregularly serrate to dentate, ciliate, surfaces sparsely hairy.

basal;

petiole somewhat flattened, 2–6 cm;

blade oblanceolate, 2–12 cm, thin, basecuneate to ± attenuate, margins usually 15+-toothed (teeth large, lobelike), densely long glandular-ciliate, surfaces hairy.

Inflorescences

(30–)50+–flowered, very open, lax thyrses, 30–75 cm, pink- to purplish-tipped stipitate-glandular; (bracts gradually smaller distally).

30+-flowered, very open, lax thyrses, (flowers rarely replaced by bulbils), 10–40 cm, densely tangled, purple-tipped stipitate-glandular; (bracts leaflike, gradually reduced distally).

Flowers

sepals strongly reflexed, oblong;

petals white, with 2 basal yellow spots that sometimes appear as 1 (sometimes faded in dried material), ± elliptic to spatulate, clawed, 2–3 mm, longer than sepals;

filaments strongly club-shaped;

pistils distinct almost to base;

ovary superior, (to 1/3 adnate to hypanthium).

slightly bilaterally symmetric;

sepals reflexed, oblong to elliptic;

petals white, 3 with 2 basal yellow spots, 2 without spots, oblanceolate to spatulate, clawed, 3–4.5 mm, longer than sepals;

filaments linear, flattened;

pistils connate 1/2+ their lengths;

ovary superior.

Capsules

green, sometimes purplish, folliclelike.

green to yellow, sometimes purple tinged, valvate

2n

= 22.

Micranthes micranthidifolia

Micranthes petiolaris

Phenology Flowering spring. Flowering late spring–early autumn.
Habitat Rocky seepage slopes, stream banks Wet ledges, boulderfields, and rocky slopes, usually in thin soil over rock
Elevation 400-2100 m (1300-6900 ft) 500-2100 m (1600-6900 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
GA; KY; MD; NC; PA; SC; VA; WV
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
GA; KY; MD; NC; SC; TN; VA; WV
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Micranthes micranthidifolia was formerly gathered by local people in the southern Appalachians as a spring “green” (hence the common name, “branch” being dialect for a small stream); it is still occasionally seen in local grocery stores.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

Micranthes petiolaris (Rafinesque) Brouillet & Gornall is an isonym.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

Source FNA vol. 8, p. 60. FNA vol. 8, p. 58.
Parent taxa Saxifragaceae > Micranthes Saxifragaceae > Micranthes
Sibling taxa
M. apetala, M. aprica, M. bryophora, M. californica, M. calycina, M. careyana, M. caroliniana, M. eriophora, M. ferruginea, M. foliolosa, M. fragosa, M. gaspensis, M. gormanii, M. hieraciifolia, M. hitchcockiana, M. howellii, M. idahoensis, M. integrifolia, M. lyallii, M. marshallii, M. nelsoniana, M. nidifica, M. nivalis, M. nudicaulis, M. occidentalis, M. odontoloma, M. oregana, M. palmeri, M. pensylvanica, M. petiolaris, M. razshivinii, M. reflexa, M. rhomboidea, M. rufidula, M. spicata, M. stellaris, M. subapetala, M. tempestiva, M. tenuis, M. texana, M. tischii, M. tolmiei, M. unalaschcensis, M. virginiensis
M. apetala, M. aprica, M. bryophora, M. californica, M. calycina, M. careyana, M. caroliniana, M. eriophora, M. ferruginea, M. foliolosa, M. fragosa, M. gaspensis, M. gormanii, M. hieraciifolia, M. hitchcockiana, M. howellii, M. idahoensis, M. integrifolia, M. lyallii, M. marshallii, M. micranthidifolia, M. nelsoniana, M. nidifica, M. nivalis, M. nudicaulis, M. occidentalis, M. odontoloma, M. oregana, M. palmeri, M. pensylvanica, M. razshivinii, M. reflexa, M. rhomboidea, M. rufidula, M. spicata, M. stellaris, M. subapetala, M. tempestiva, M. tenuis, M. texana, M. tischii, M. tolmiei, M. unalaschcensis, M. virginiensis
Synonyms Robertsonia micranthidifolia, Aulaxis micranthidifolia, Saxifraga micranthidifolia Hexaphoma petiolaris, Saxifraga michauxii, Saxifraga petiolaris
Name authority (Haworth) Small: Fl. S.E. U.S., 501, 1331. 1903 , (Rafinesque) Bush: Amer. Midl. Naturalist 11: 225. 1928 ,
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