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California saxifrage, Greene's saxifrage

Carey's saxifrage

Habit Plants solitary or in clumps, with bulbils on caudices, or rhizomatous. Plants often mat-forming, with extensive rhizomes.
Leaves

basal;

petiole flattened, 2–5 cm;

blade ovate, 2–7 cm, fleshy, base attenuate, margins serrate, rarely subentire, ciliate, surfaces hairy.

basal;

petiole flattened, 1–7 cm;

blade rounded or broadly ovate to oblong, 1–7 cm, thin, base truncate, margins coarsely serrate to dentate, sparsely ciliate, surfaces sparsely to ± densely tangled, reddish brown-hairy.

Inflorescences

20+-flowered, (flowers often secund), open, lax thyrses with distant lateral branches, 15–30(–40) cm, purple-tipped stipitate-glandular.

40+-flowered, lax, open thyrses, 10–40(–50) cm, purple-tipped stipitate-glandular.

Flowers

sepals reflexed, sometimes spreading, triangular to ovate;

petals white, not spotted, elliptic to oblong, clawed, 2.5–4.5 mm, longer than sepals;

filaments linear, flattened;

pistils connate to 1/2 their lengths;

ovary 1/2+ inferior, appearing superior in fruit.

sepals spreading, broadly ovate;

petals white, sometimes some with 2 faint, basal yellow spots (sometimes fading upon drying), narrowly ovate to elliptic, clawed, 2–4(–5) mm, 2+ times as long as sepals;

filaments linear, flattened;

pistils distinct almost to base;

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

Capsules

purplish, folliclelike.

green, ± purple tinged, folliclelike.

Micranthes californica

Micranthes careyana

Phenology Flowering winter–early spring. Flowering spring–early summer.
Habitat Shaded fields, rocky or unstable slopes, stream banks Moist soil at bases of vertical or overhanging rock outcrops, seeps
Elevation 0-1500 m (0-4900 ft) 500-1600 m (1600-5200 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
CA; OR; Mexico (Baja California)
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
AL; GA; KY; NC; TN; VA; WV
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Micranthes careyana is very similar to M. caroliniana; both are in need of study.

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

Source FNA vol. 8, p. 64. FNA vol. 8, p. 61.
Parent taxa Saxifragaceae > Micranthes Saxifragaceae > Micranthes
Sibling taxa
M. apetala, M. aprica, M. bryophora, 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. 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 californica, M. parvifolia, Saxifraga fallax, Saxifraga hallii, Saxifraga parvifolia, Saxifraga virginiensis var. californica Saxifraga careyana, Saxifraga tennesseensis
Name authority (Greene) Small: in N. L. Britton et al., N. Amer. Fl. 22: 140. (1905) (A. Gray) Small: Fl. S.E. U.S., 501. 1903 ,
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