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California saxifrage, Greene's saxifrage

Habit Plants solitary or in clumps, with bulbils on caudices, or rhizomatous. Plants solitary or tufted, with bulbils on caudices.
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, 1–10 cm;

blade broadly ovate to elliptic, 2–14 cm, thin to slightly fleshy, base truncate, margins deeply dentate (teeth 2+ mm), sparsely glandular-ciliate, surfaces densely white-hairy.

Inflorescences

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

15+-flowered, open, lax thyrses, 10–50 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 reflexed, oblong;

petals white, with 2 basal yellow spots (distinct even in dried material), ovate to elliptic, short-clawed, 2–4 mm, much longer than sepals;

filaments elongate, (longer than petals), club-shaped;

pistils distinct almost to base;

ovary superior.

Capsules

purplish, folliclelike.

greenish to yellow, folliclelike.

Micranthes californica

Micranthes caroliniana

Phenology Flowering winter–early spring. Flowering spring.
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) 500-1200 m (1600-3900 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
CA; OR; Mexico (Baja California)
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
NC; TN; VA; WV
[BONAP county map]
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. careyana, 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 caroliniana
Name authority (Greene) Small: in N. L. Britton et al., N. Amer. Fl. 22: 140. (1905) (A. Gray) Small: in N. L. Britton et al., N. Amer. Fl. 22: 146. (1905)
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