Micranthes apetala |
Micranthes nivalis |
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tiny swamp saxifrage, western swamp saxifrage |
alpine saxifrage, saxifrage des neiges, snow saxifrage |
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Habit | Plants solitary or in clusters, with bulbils on caudices, or short-rhizomatous. | Plants 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 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 | 10–25-flowered, congested, glomerate thyrses, 4–15 cm, pink- to purple-tipped stipitate-glandular (hairs uniseriate). |
(5–)10–40-flowered, congested, almost capitate thyrses, (3–)7–20 cm, ± densely purple-tipped stipitate-glandular. |
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. |
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 | reddish or purplish, folliclelike. |
green, becoming reddish to purplish, folliclelike. |
2n | = 38. |
= 60. |
Micranthes apetala |
Micranthes nivalis |
|
Phenology | Flowering early spring–summer. | Flowering summer. |
Habitat | Vernally moist meadows, wet depressions on mountain slopes | Open, mossy tundra, rocky ridges, or shady ledges |
Elevation | 600-2800 m (2000-9200 ft) | 0-1500 m (0-4900 ft) |
Distribution |
ID; MT; OR; WA
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AK; AB; BC; LB; NT; NU; QC; YT; Greenland; Europe; Asia (Himalayas, Kamchatka, Siberia) |
Discussion | 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.) |
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Source | FNA vol. 8, p. 68. | FNA vol. 8, p. 64. |
Parent taxa | Saxifragaceae > Micranthes | Saxifragaceae > Micranthes |
Sibling taxa | ||
Synonyms | Saxifraga apetala, Saxifraga integrifolia var. apetala | Saxifraga nivalis |
Name authority | (Piper) Small: in N. L. Britton et al., N. Amer. Fl. 22: 135. 1905 , | (Linnaeus) Small: in N. L. Britton et al., N. Amer. Fl. 22: 136. 1905 , |
Web links |
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