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tiny swamp saxifrage, western swamp saxifrage

diamond-leaf 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 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

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

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

reddish or purplish, folliclelike.

purple, folliclelike.

2n

= 38.

= 20, 38, 40, 56.

Micranthes apetala

Micranthes rhomboidea

Phenology Flowering early spring–summer. Flowering late spring–summer.
Habitat Vernally moist meadows, wet depressions on mountain slopes Subalpine and alpine meadows
Elevation 600-2800 m (2000-9200 ft) 1500-4600 m (4900-15100 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
ID; MT; OR; WA
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
AZ; CO; ID; MT; NM; UT; WY
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

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. 68. FNA vol. 8, p. 69.
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. 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 apetala, Saxifraga integrifolia var. apetala Saxifraga rhomboidea, Saxifraga austrina, Saxifraga rhomboidea var. austrina, Saxifraga rhomboidea var. franciscana
Name authority (Piper) Small: in N. L. Britton et al., N. Amer. Fl. 22: 135. 1905 , (Greene) Small: in N. L. Britton et al., N. Amer. Fl. 22: 136. 1905 ,
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