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bud saxifrage

alpine saxifrage, Tolmie's alpine saxifrage, Tolmie's saxifrage

Habit Plants solitary or tufted, with bulbils on caudices. Plants mat-forming, (stems trailing, thin, basally slightly woody), with slender, woody caudices.
Leaves

± basal;

petiole absent;

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

cauline, proximally crowded;

petiole absent;

blade elliptic-obovate, 0.8–1.5 cm, fleshy, base cuneate, margins entire, sometimes proximally sparsely long-ciliate, surfaces glabrous.

Inflorescences

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).

2–10-flowered, lax cymes, sometimes solitary flowers, 3–12 cm, glabrous or purplish- or pink-tipped stipitate-glandular; (bracts 1–3, proximal).

Flowers

sepals erect to spreading, ovate;

petals white, not spotted, linear to oblanceolate, 2.5–5 mm, longer than sepals, short- or not clawed;

filaments broadly club-shaped (± petaloid);

pistils connate to 1/2 their lengths;

ovary ± superior (to 1/4 adnate to hypanthium).

Capsules

green to yellow, purple tinged, valvate.

green, purple mottled, valvate.

2n

= 30.

Micranthes bryophora

Micranthes tolmiei

Phenology Flowering summer. Flowering summer.
Habitat Wet meadows, rocky ledges Arctic and alpine tundra, fell-fields
Elevation 1600-4500 m (5200-14800 ft) 500-4000 m (1600-13100 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
CA; ID
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[BONAP county map]
from FNA
AK; CA; ID; MT; NV; OR; UT; WA; BC
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[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.)

Unlike those of most Micranthes species, the leaves of M. tolmiei are proximally cauline and the ovules have two integuments. The seeds have a loose, winglike testa.

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

Source FNA vol. 8, p. 58. FNA vol. 8, p. 54.
Parent taxa Saxifragaceae > Micranthes Saxifragaceae > Micranthes
Sibling taxa
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
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. rhomboidea, M. rufidula, M. spicata, M. stellaris, M. subapetala, M. tempestiva, M. tenuis, M. texana, M. tischii, M. unalaschcensis, M. virginiensis
Synonyms Saxifraga bryophora, Saxifraga bryophora var. tobiasiae Saxifraga tolmiei, Saxifraga tolmiei var. ledifolia
Name authority (A. Gray) Brouillet & Gornall: J. Bot. Res. Inst. Texas 1: 1020. (2007) (Torrey & A. Gray) Brouillet & Gornall: J. Bot. Res. Inst. Texas 1: 1022. 2007 ,
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