Micranthes unalaschcensis |
Micranthes nivalis |
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alpine saxifrage, saxifrage des neiges, snow saxifrage |
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Habit | Plants solitary or tufted, with bulbils on caudices or rhizomatous. | Plants tufted, with bulbils on caudices. |
Leaves | basal; petiole flattened, 1–2 cm; blade broadly obovate to round, 1–3.5 cm, ± fleshy, base cuneate, margins distally toothed, sparsely ciliate, surfaces glabrous. |
basal; petiole flattened, (0.4–)1–4 cm; blade ovate to ± round, sometimes elliptic or oblong, (0.5–)1–4 cm, thick, coriaceous, base attenuate to ± truncate, margins serrate to dentate on distal 2/3 (sometimes more), proximally ciliate, surfaces ± densely tangled, reddish brown-hairy abaxially, glabrous or glabrate adaxially. |
Inflorescences | 2–10-flowered, open thyrses, racemiform distally, sometimes solitary flowers, 3–15 cm, tangled-hairy. |
(5–)10–40-flowered, congested, almost capitate thyrses, (3–)7–20 cm, ± densely purple-tipped stipitate-glandular. |
Flowers | sepals reflexed, ovate; petals white to cream or pinkish, not spotted, elliptic to oblong, ± clawed, 3.5–5 mm, longer than sepals; filaments linear, flattened; pistils connate 1/2+ their lengths; ovary at least 1/2 inferior. |
sepals erect, spreading in fruit, ovate to deltate; petals white, sometimes pink tinged, not spotted, oblong to ovate, clawed, 2–4 mm, ± equaling sepals; filaments linear, flattened; pistils connate ca. 1/2 their lengths; ovary 1/2 inferior, appearing more superior in fruit. |
Capsules | dark purple, valvate. |
green, becoming reddish to purplish, folliclelike. |
2n | = 60. |
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Micranthes unalaschcensis |
Micranthes nivalis |
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Phenology | Flowering summer. | Flowering summer. |
Habitat | Tundra, flushes, stream banks, slopes | Open, mossy tundra, rocky ridges, or shady ledges |
Elevation | 0-600 m (0-2000 ft) | 0-1500 m (0-4900 ft) |
Distribution |
AK; e Asia (Russian Far East) |
AK; AB; BC; LB; NT; NU; QC; YT; Greenland; Europe; Asia (Himalayas, Kamchatka, Siberia) |
Discussion | The ovaries and capsules of Micranthes unalaschensis are ovoid, thicker and plumper than those of M. calycina and M. razshivinii, which are conic (E. Hultén 1968). (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
Micranthes nivalis is closely related to M. tenuis. All records of M. nivalis in the United States (except Alaska) appear to be misapplied to or misidentifications of M. aprica, M. occidentalis, or M. rhomboidea. Occasional, dwarfed specimens of M. hieraciifolia and M. subapetala are similarly mislabelled. (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
Source | FNA vol. 8, p. 60. | FNA vol. 8, p. 64. |
Parent taxa | ||
Sibling taxa | ||
Synonyms | Saxifraga unalaschensis, Saxifraga calycina subsp. unalaschensis, Saxifraga davurica var. unalaschensis | Saxifraga nivalis |
Name authority | (Sternberg) Gornall & H. Ohba: J. Bot. Res. Inst. Texas 1: 1022. (2007) | (Linnaeus) Small: in N. L. Britton et al., N. Amer. Fl. 22: 136. 1905 , |
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