Micranthes eriophora |
Micranthes aprica |
|
---|---|---|
redfuzz saxifrage |
Sierra saxifrage |
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Habit | Plants solitary or in groups, with bulbils on caudices. | Plants solitary, in clumps, or sometimes mat-forming, with bulbils on caudices, or rhizomatous. |
Leaves | basal; petiole flattened, 0.5–2.5 cm; blade ovate to elliptic, 1–2 cm, ± fleshy, base attenuate, margins sharply serrate, sparsely to densely ciliate (some glandular-tipped), surfaces densely tangled, reddish brown-hairy abaxially, glabrous adaxially. |
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. |
Inflorescences | 10+-flowered, (flowers often secund), very open, lax, often flat-topped thyrses with distant lateral branches, 6–25 cm, pink- to purplish-tipped stipitate-glandular. |
5+-flowered, densely crowded in 1–3 glomerulate, often flat-topped thyrses, 3.5–15(–20) cm, sparsely purple-tipped stipitate-glandular. |
Flowers | sepals erect, triangular; petals white, sometimes purplish-tipped, not spotted, obovate to elliptic, not clawed or barely clawed, 4–7 mm, ca. 2 times as long as sepals; filaments linear, flattened; pistils distinct almost to base; ovary 1/3–1/2 inferior. |
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. |
Capsules | purplish, valvate. |
purple, folliclelike. |
2n | = 20. |
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Micranthes eriophora |
Micranthes aprica |
|
Phenology | Flowering late winter–early summer. | Flowering summer. |
Habitat | Rocky slopes and ledges | Rocky alpine and snowbed meadows |
Elevation | 1900-3000 m (6200-9800 ft) | 1700-4500 m (5600-14800 ft) |
Distribution |
AZ; NM; Mexico (Baja California, Chihuahua)
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CA; NV; OR
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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.) |
|
Source | FNA vol. 8, p. 64. | FNA vol. 8, p. 69. |
Parent taxa | Saxifragaceae > Micranthes | Saxifragaceae > Micranthes |
Sibling taxa | ||
Synonyms | Saxifraga eriophora | Saxifraga aprica |
Name authority | (S. Watson) Small: in N. L. Britton et al., N. Amer. Fl. 22: 142. (1905) | (Greene) Small: in N. L. Britton et al., N. Amer. Fl. 22: 135. (1905) |
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