Micranthes aprica |
Micranthes nudicaulis |
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Sierra saxifrage |
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Habit | Plants solitary, in clumps, or sometimes mat-forming, with bulbils on caudices, or rhizomatous. | Plants solitary or in clusters, stoloniferous, rhizomatous. |
Leaves | basal; petiole flattened, 0.5–2 cm; blade obovate to elliptic, 1.5–4 cm, fleshy, base attenuate, margins entire or apically denticulate, eciliate, surfaces glabrous or sparsely hairy. |
basal; petiole rounded, 0.5–3.5 cm, (base expanded, stipulelike); blade somewhat reniform, (± evenly lobed), 0.5–2.5 cm, ± fleshy, base cordate to truncate, margins entire, sparsely glandular-ciliate, surfaces glabrous. |
Inflorescences | 5+-flowered, densely crowded in 1–3 glomerulate, often flat-topped thyrses, 3.5–15(–20) cm, sparsely purple-tipped stipitate-glandular. |
5–20-flowered, branched cymes or flat-topped thyrses, 5–16 cm, sparsely purple-tipped stipitate-glandular. |
Flowers | sepals ascending to spreading, ovate; petals white, not spotted, elliptic to linear, clawed, 1.8–3 mm, slightly longer than sepals; filaments linear, flattened; pistils connate to 1/2 their lengths; ovary inferior, appearing more superior in fruit. |
sepals reflexed or, sometimes, spreading, triangular; petals white to cream (rarely pink), not spotted, broadly elliptic to ovate, short-clawed, 4–5 mm, longer than sepals; filaments linear, flattened; pistils connate 1/2+ their lengths; ovary superior, (to 1/3 adnate to hypanthium). |
Capsules | purple, folliclelike. |
dark purple-black, valvate. |
2n | = 20. |
= 40. |
Micranthes aprica |
Micranthes nudicaulis |
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Phenology | Flowering summer. | Flowering summer. |
Habitat | Rocky alpine and snowbed meadows | Wet flushes, stream banks |
Elevation | 1700-4500 m (5600-14800 ft) | 0-800 m (0-2600 ft) |
Distribution |
CA; NV; OR
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AK; e Asia (Russian Far East) |
Discussion | Specimens of Micranthes aprica from the Klamath region of California and Oregon are unusually robust, occur at unusually low elevations, and have usually pollen-sterile flowers (P. E. Elvander 1984). In the Steens Mountains of southwestern Oregon, specimens that are morphologically similar to M. rhomboidea from some Utah locations can be found. Although tentatively relegated to M. aprica, these populations need thorough study. (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
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Source | FNA vol. 8, p. 69. | FNA vol. 8, p. 59. |
Parent taxa | Saxifragaceae > Micranthes | Saxifragaceae > Micranthes |
Sibling taxa | ||
Synonyms | Saxifraga aprica | Saxifraga nudicaulis |
Name authority | (Greene) Small: in N. L. Britton et al., N. Amer. Fl. 22: 135. (1905) | (D. Don) Gornall & H. Ohba: J. Bot. Res. Inst. Texas 1: 1021. (2007) |
Web links |