Micranthes micranthidifolia |
Micranthes petiolaris |
|
---|---|---|
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 |
GA; KY; MD; NC; PA; SC; VA; WV
|
GA; KY; MD; NC; SC; TN; VA; WV
|
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 | ||
Sibling taxa | ||
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 , |
Web links |