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rusty-hair saxifrage

Yukon saxifrage

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

basal;

petiole flattened, 4–8 cm;

blade ovate to elliptic, 1–4 cm, fleshy, base attenuate to ± truncate, margins serrate (15–30- toothed), eciliate, surfaces densely tangled, reddish brown-hairy abaxially, glabrous adaxially.

basal;

petiole broadly flattened, 1–2 cm;

blade elliptic to broadly ovate, 1–3 cm, fleshy, base attenuate, margins shallowly serrate (teeth to 1 mm), densely ciliate, surfaces tangled reddish brown-hairy.

Inflorescences

15+-flowered, open, flat-topped thyrses, 5–20 cm, purple-tipped stipitate-glandular; (bracts often tangled brown-hairy).

15+-flowered thyrses with flowers crowded at branch tips, 7–60 cm, ± hairy, also with some purple-tipped glandular hairs.

Flowers

sepals spreading, ovate, (often tangled brown-hairy);

petals white, not spotted, ovate to elliptic, clawed, 2–4 mm, longer than sepals;

filaments linear, flattened to slightly club-shaped;

pistils distinct almost to base;

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

sepals reflexed, ovate to triangular;

petals white, with 2 basal yellow spots (spots distinct even in dried material), elliptic to spatulate, clawed, 2–4 mm, longer than sepals;

filaments strongly club-shaped, (longer than petals);

pistils distinct almost to base;

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

Capsules

greenish to reddish purple, folliclelike.

green to purplish, folliclelike.

2n

= 20, 38, 56, 58.

= 20, 40.

Micranthes rufidula

Micranthes reflexa

Phenology Flowering late winter–summer. Flowering late spring–summer.
Habitat Wet to dry, rocky ledges Heath, tundra, dry to mesic meadows, alpine gravelly slopes and fellfields, open woods
Elevation 0-3000 m (0-9800 ft) 0-1800 m (0-5900 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
CA; OR; WA; BC
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
AK; BC; NT; YT
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Micranthes idahoensis, M. marshallii, and M. reflexa form a morphological complex of ecologically and geographically distinct entities in western North America that is much in need of study. The eastern North American M. careyana and M. caroliniana are also morphologically similar to the members of this complex.

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

Source FNA vol. 8, p. 62. FNA vol. 8, p. 63.
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. micranthidifolia, 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. 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. petiolaris, M. razshivinii, 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 Saxifraga aequidentata, Saxifraga occidentalis subsp. rufidula, Saxifraga occidentalis var. rufidula, Saxifraga rufidula Saxifraga reflexa
Name authority Small: in N. L. Britton et al., N. Amer. Fl. 22: 140. (1905) (Hooker) Small: in N. L. Britton et al., N. Amer. Fl. 22: 146. (1905)
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