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saxifrage étoilée, starry saxifrage

diamond-leaf saxifrage

Habit Plants tufted or mat-forming, with ± branched caudices or stolonlike rhizomes. Plants solitary or tufted, with bulbils on caudices.
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, 1–3 cm;

blade broadly ovate to triangular, 1–3 cm, fleshy, base attenuate, margins coarsely serrate, ciliate, surfaces sparsely to moderately tangled, reddish brown-hairy abaxially, glabrous adaxially.

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.

(5–)10–40-flowered, congested, ± glomerate or capitate thyrses, 4–20 cm, usually densely yellow- to cream-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 ascending, ovate;

petals white, not spotted, oblong to elliptic, clawed, 2–4 mm, 1.5+ times as long as sepals;

filaments linear, flattened;

pistils connate to 1/2 their lengths;

ovary inferior, appearing more superior in fruit.

Capsules

green to purple, valvate.

purple, folliclelike.

2n

= 28.

= 20, 38, 40, 56.

Micranthes stellaris

Micranthes rhomboidea

Phenology Flowering summer. Flowering late spring–summer.
Habitat Mossy tundra near streams, rocky, gravelly seepage areas Subalpine and alpine meadows
Elevation 0-500 m (0-1600 ft) 1500-4600 m (4900-15100 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
LB; NU; QC; Greenland; Europe
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
AZ; CO; ID; MT; NM; UT; WY
[WildflowerSearch map]
[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 rhomboidea is somewhat polymorphic; variants have been given taxonomic designations with little consistency. The chromosome number variation needs thorough study, as in other species of Micranthes, because no obvious correlations with morphology or geographic distribution are known (B. L. Bethers 1973). Reports from Canada (Alberta, Saskatchewan) were rejected as misidentifications of M. occidentalis.

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

Source FNA vol. 8, p. 57. FNA vol. 8, p. 69.
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. 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. 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 rhomboidea, Saxifraga austrina, Saxifraga rhomboidea var. austrina, Saxifraga rhomboidea var. franciscana
Name authority (Linnaeus) Galasso: Atti Soc. Ital. Sci. Nat. Mus. Civico Storia Nat. Milano 146: 231. (2005) (Greene) Small: in N. L. Britton et al., N. Amer. Fl. 22: 136. 1905 ,
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