Heuchera micrantha
Heuchera parvifolia
alum root, crevice alum-root, small-flower alumroot
common alum-root, little-leaf alum-root
6–57 cm, short to long stipitate-glandular or glabrous, viscid.
4–71 cm, short stipitate-glandular.
petiole glabrous or sparsely to densely short to long stipitate-glandular;
blade orbiculate to polygonal, shallowly to deeply 5–7(–9)-lobed, 2.5–10 cm, base cordate, lobes rounded, margins dentate, apex rounded or obtuse, surfaces glabrous or short to long stipitate-glandular, viscid.
petiole glabrate or short stipitate-glandular;
blade orbiculate or reniform to broadly cordate, shallowly to deeply 5–7-lobed, 1–8 cm, base cordate, lobes rounded, margins dentate, apex obtuse, surfaces (glaucous), glabrate or short stipitate-glandular, sometimes long stipitate-glandular along veins abaxially, glabrate or short stipitate-glandular adaxially.
diffuse.
dense at anthesis, diffuse in fruit.
hypanthium radially symmetric, free to 1.5 mm, greenish white, often tinged with red, obconic to hemispheric, broadly turbinate, or campanulate, 1–4.9 mm, long stipitate-glandular, sometimes short stipitate-glandular proximally;
sepals spreading to nearly erect, green- or red-tipped, equal, 0.5–1.8 mm, apex rounded to acute or mucronate;
petals often coiled, white or pale pink, oblanceolate, (narrowly clawed), unlobed, 1.6–3.3 mm (2–3 times as long as sepals), margins entire;
stamens exserted to 3 mm;
styles exserted to 2.5 mm, 0.2–4.2 mm, to 0.1 mm diam.
hypanthium radially symmetric, free 0.4–1 mm, greenish or cream to yellow, flat, saucer-shaped, 2.5–5 mm, short stipitate-glandular and sometimes sparsely long stipitate-glandular;
sepals reflexed, green- or red-tipped, equal, 0.5–1.5 mm, apex acute;
petals reflexed, white, elliptic or rhombic, (clawed), unlobed, 0.7–3 mm, margins entire;
nectary tissue or disc encircling base of styles at junction of ovary and free hypanthium yellow or orange, exposed;
stamens included 0.5 mm, (incurved over stigmas);
styles included 1–1.5 mm, 0.3–0.5 mm, 0.1+ mm diam.
ovoid, 3–8.5 mm, beaks divergent, not papillose.
ovoid or subglobose, 3–6 mm, beaks divergent, not papillose.
black, broadly ellipsoid, (not curved), 0.5–0.8 mm.
dark brown, ovoid-ellipsoid, 0.6–1 mm.
= 14, 28.
Heuchera micrantha
Heuchera parvifolia
Varieties 5 (5 in the flora).
The Skagit Indians rubbed pounded plants of Heuchera micrantha on hair to make it grow and applied it to cuts. The Thompson Indians used a mashed poultice of this root mixed with Douglas fir pitch for wounds. Chewed leaves and roots were spat on sores or wounds. Infusions of roots were taken for liver trouble and sore throat. Small, peeled, cleaned root pieces were chewed for mouth sores and gum boils (D. E. Moerman 1998).
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
The specific epithet, parvifolia, is similar to that of another species, Heuchera parviflora, but these two species are distinct and have legitimate names. C. O. Rosendahl et al. (1936) recognized five species and eight varieties in the H. parvifolia complex, based on differences in development of the nectary disc, shapes of the hypanthium, disc, and petals, width of the leaves, lengths of the peduncle and flowers, type of indument of the petiole and peduncle, height of the inflorescence, and degree of lobing of the leaves. Some of their varieties intergrade completely. As P. K. Holmgren and N. H. Holmgren (1997) observed, expressions of some of these characters vary with the stage of development of the plant, and there seems to be no correlation of morphology with geographical distribution. Accordingly, we do not recognize infraspecific taxa in this polymorphic species.
The Blackfoot Indians used pounded, wet roots of Heuchera parvifolia for rheumatism and sores, and an infusion of the roots as an eyewash. They applied a poultice of chewed roots to wounds and sores, as a styptic, and to cold sores and children’s mouth cankers. The Navajo used the plant as a panacea or “life medicine” and for rat bites. They took a decoction of the roots for stomachaches and to ease the delivery of the placenta, and an infusion of the roots as a lotion for venereal disease (D. E. Moerman 1998).
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
1. Leaf blades orbiculate to pentagonal, shallowly lobed. | var. micrantha |
1. Leaf blades pentagonal or heptagonal, deeply lobed | → 2 |
2. Inflorescences short stipitate-glandular; petioles short stipitate-glandular or sparsely long stipitate-glandular | → 3 |
2. Inflorescences long stipitate-glandular; petioles short to long stipitate-glandular | → 4 |
3. Hypanthia hemispheric, 1 times long as wide; petals 0.4-1.4 mm wide. | var. macropetala |
3. Hypanthia obconic, 1.4 times longer than wide; petals 0.2-0.6 mm wide. | var. erubescens |
4. Hypanthia long stipitate-glandular, sepal apex rounded to acute. | var. hartwegii |
4. Hypanthia sparsely long stipitate-glandular, sepal apex acute to mucronate | var. diversifolia |
- Local floras:
BC, 
CA, 
OR, 
WA - Local Web sites: CalFlora, CalPhotos,
Flora NW, 
PNW Herbaria, Turner Photog. 
WildflowerSearch
iNaturalist (observations)
USDA Plants Database- LBJ Wildflower Center
- SEINet
- Plants of the World Online
- Encyclopedia of Life
- Wikipedia
- Google Image Search
SW CO Wildflowers
