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saxifrage étoilée, starry saxifrage

Carey's saxifrage

Habit Plants tufted or mat-forming, with ± branched caudices or stolonlike rhizomes. Plants often mat-forming, with extensive rhizomes.
Leaves

basal;

petiole ± absent;

blade obovate to elliptic, 1–5 cm, ± fleshy, base cuneate, margins 1–3-toothed in distal 1/2, ciliate, surfaces hairy.

basal;

petiole flattened, 1–7 cm;

blade rounded or broadly ovate to oblong, 1–7 cm, thin, base truncate, margins coarsely serrate to dentate, sparsely ciliate, surfaces sparsely to ± densely tangled, reddish brown-hairy.

Inflorescences

2–10-flowered, open, lax cymes, sometimes solitary flowers, (all or some flowers replaced with bulbils, bulbils sometimes absent), 5–20 cm, sparsely to moderately purple-tipped stipitate-glandular.

40+-flowered, lax, open thyrses, 10–40(–50) cm, purple-tipped stipitate-glandular.

Flowers

sepals reflexed, narrowly elliptic to lanceolate;

petals white, each with 1–2 basal yellow spots, lanceolate, clawed, 3–8 mm (2 often slightly larger), longer than sepals;

filaments linear, flattened;

pistils connate 1/2+ their lengths;

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

sepals spreading, broadly ovate;

petals white, sometimes some with 2 faint, basal yellow spots (sometimes fading upon drying), narrowly ovate to elliptic, clawed, 2–4(–5) mm, 2+ times as long as sepals;

filaments linear, flattened;

pistils distinct almost to base;

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

Capsules

green to purple, valvate.

green, ± purple tinged, folliclelike.

2n

= 28.

Micranthes stellaris

Micranthes careyana

Phenology Flowering summer. Flowering spring–early summer.
Habitat Mossy tundra near streams, rocky, gravelly seepage areas Moist soil at bases of vertical or overhanging rock outcrops, seeps
Elevation 0-500 m (0-1600 ft) 500-1600 m (1600-5200 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
LB; NU; QC; Greenland; Europe
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
AL; GA; KY; NC; TN; VA; WV
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Micranthes stellaris is amphi-Atlantic. In Nunavut, it is known only from Baffin Island.

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

Micranthes careyana is very similar to M. caroliniana; both are in need of study.

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

Source FNA vol. 8, p. 57. FNA vol. 8, p. 61.
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. rufidula, M. spicata, 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. 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. rufidula, M. spicata, M. stellaris, M. subapetala, M. tempestiva, M. tenuis, M. texana, M. tischii, M. tolmiei, M. unalaschcensis, M. virginiensis
Synonyms Saxifraga stellaris Saxifraga careyana, Saxifraga tennesseensis
Name authority (Linnaeus) Galasso: Atti Soc. Ital. Sci. Nat. Mus. Civico Storia Nat. Milano 146: 231. (2005) (A. Gray) Small: Fl. S.E. U.S., 501. 1903 ,
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