Micranthes fragosa |
Micranthes aprica |
|
---|---|---|
brittle-leaf saxifrage, Clayton's saxifrage, peak saxifrage |
Sierra saxifrage |
|
Habit | Plants often mat-forming, long, thin-rhizomatous. | Plants solitary, in clumps, or sometimes mat-forming, with bulbils on caudices, or rhizomatous. |
Leaves | basal; petiole flattened, 4–10 cm; blade broadly ovate to deltate, 4–8(–10) cm, fleshy, base attenuate, margins entire or minutely denticulate, ciliate, surfaces glabrate to sparsely hairy. |
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 | 30+-flowered, (flowers sometimes almost secund), open, lax, conic thyrses with ± open cymules on lateral branches, 20–50 cm, purple-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 spreading to slightly reflexed, ovate to deltate; petals white, not spotted, obovate, clawed, 2–3 mm, longer than sepals; filaments linear, flattened; pistils connate to 1/2 their lengths; ovary 1/2+ inferior, appearing more superior in fruit. |
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 | green or reddish purple, folliclelike. |
purple, folliclelike. |
2n | = 20, 38. |
= 20. |
Micranthes fragosa |
Micranthes aprica |
|
Phenology | Flowering spring–summer. | Flowering summer. |
Habitat | Wet, mossy cliffs, unstable slopes, often near watercourses | Rocky alpine and snowbed meadows |
Elevation | 100-2600 m [300-8500 ft] | 1700-4500 m [5600-14800 ft] |
Distribution |
ID; OR; WA
|
CA; NV; OR
|
Discussion | Micranthes fragosa is restored to specific status here because a review of its differences with M. nidifica shows it to be more distinctive than previously thought, and for consistency in the application of criteria for species recognition within the rest of the genus. In the southernmost part of its range, M. fragosa converges in appearance with M. californica. (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
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. 68. | FNA vol. 8, p. 69. |
Parent taxa | ||
Sibling taxa | ||
Synonyms | Saxifraga fragosa, Saxifraga claytoniifolia, Saxifraga fragosa subsp. claytoniifolia, Saxifraga integrifolia var. claytoniifolia, Saxifraga nidifica var. claytoniifolia | Saxifraga aprica |
Name authority | (Suksdorf ex Small) Small: in N. L. Britton et al., N. Amer. Fl. 22: 137. (1905) | (Greene) Small: in N. L. Britton et al., N. Amer. Fl. 22: 135. (1905) |
Web links |
|