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tiny swamp saxifrage, western swamp saxifrage

bud saxifrage

Habit Plants solitary or in clusters, with bulbils on caudices, or short-rhizomatous. Plants solitary or tufted, with bulbils on caudices.
Leaves

basal;

petiole flattened, 0.5–3 cm;

blade ± ovate, 2–5 cm, ± fleshy, base attenuate, margins entire or crenulate, eciliate, surfaces hairy.

± basal;

petiole absent;

blade linear to narrowly elliptic, 0.5–4 cm, fleshy, base cuneate, margins subentire, ciliate, surfaces hirsute.

Inflorescences

10–25-flowered, congested, glomerate thyrses, 4–15 cm, pink- to purple-tipped stipitate-glandular (hairs uniseriate).

usually 2–3+-flowered, open, lax thyrses, sometimes solitary flowers, (flowers terminal, proximal usually replaced by bulbils, sometimes bulbils absent), 2–25 cm, stipitate-glandular. (Pedicels reflexed.) Flowers: sepals reflexed, elliptic;

petals white, each with 2 basal yellow spots, triangular to broadly ovate, clawed, 3–5 mm, longer than sepals;

filaments linear, flattened;

pistils connate 1/2+ their lengths;

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

Flowers

sepals erect to ascending, ovate;

petals absent, sometimes 1–5, white to greenish white, not spotted, linear to oblong, clawed, 1–2 mm, much shorter than sepals;

filaments linear, flattened;

pistils connate to 1/2 their lengths;

ovary 1/2+ inferior.

Capsules

reddish or purplish, folliclelike.

green to yellow, purple tinged, valvate.

2n

= 38.

Micranthes apetala

Micranthes bryophora

Phenology Flowering early spring–summer. Flowering summer.
Habitat Vernally moist meadows, wet depressions on mountain slopes Wet meadows, rocky ledges
Elevation 600-2800 m (2000-9200 ft) 1600-4500 m (5200-14800 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
ID; MT; OR; WA
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
CA; ID
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Specimens of Micranthes bryophora from the disjunct populations in Idaho have been called Saxifraga bryophora var. tobiasiae; they appear to overlap in morphology with the California plants and are not distinguished here.

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

Source FNA vol. 8, p. 68. FNA vol. 8, p. 58.
Parent taxa Saxifragaceae > Micranthes Saxifragaceae > Micranthes
Sibling taxa
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. stellaris, M. subapetala, M. tempestiva, M. tenuis, M. texana, M. tischii, M. tolmiei, M. unalaschcensis, M. virginiensis
M. apetala, M. aprica, 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. stellaris, M. subapetala, M. tempestiva, M. tenuis, M. texana, M. tischii, M. tolmiei, M. unalaschcensis, M. virginiensis
Synonyms Saxifraga apetala, Saxifraga integrifolia var. apetala Saxifraga bryophora, Saxifraga bryophora var. tobiasiae
Name authority (Piper) Small: in N. L. Britton et al., N. Amer. Fl. 22: 135. 1905 , (A. Gray) Brouillet & Gornall: J. Bot. Res. Inst. Texas 1: 1020. (2007)
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