Micranthes fragosa |
Micranthes nivalis |
|
---|---|---|
brittle-leaf saxifrage, Clayton's saxifrage, peak saxifrage |
alpine saxifrage, saxifrage des neiges, snow saxifrage |
|
Habit | Plants often mat-forming, long, thin-rhizomatous. | Plants tufted, with bulbils on caudices. |
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, (0.4–)1–4 cm; blade ovate to ± round, sometimes elliptic or oblong, (0.5–)1–4 cm, thick, coriaceous, base attenuate to ± truncate, margins serrate to dentate on distal 2/3 (sometimes more), proximally ciliate, surfaces ± densely tangled, reddish brown-hairy abaxially, glabrous or glabrate adaxially. |
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–)10–40-flowered, congested, almost capitate thyrses, (3–)7–20 cm, ± densely 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 erect, spreading in fruit, ovate to deltate; petals white, sometimes pink tinged, not spotted, oblong to ovate, clawed, 2–4 mm, ± equaling sepals; filaments linear, flattened; pistils connate ca. 1/2 their lengths; ovary 1/2 inferior, appearing more superior in fruit. |
Capsules | green or reddish purple, folliclelike. |
green, becoming reddish to purplish, folliclelike. |
2n | = 20, 38. |
= 60. |
Micranthes fragosa |
Micranthes nivalis |
|
Phenology | Flowering spring–summer. | Flowering summer. |
Habitat | Wet, mossy cliffs, unstable slopes, often near watercourses | Open, mossy tundra, rocky ridges, or shady ledges |
Elevation | 100-2600 m [300-8500 ft] | 0-1500 m [0-4900 ft] |
Distribution |
ID; OR; WA
|
AK; AB; BC; LB; NT; NU; QC; YT; Greenland; Europe; Asia (Himalayas, Kamchatka, Siberia)
|
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.) |
Micranthes nivalis is closely related to M. tenuis. All records of M. nivalis in the United States (except Alaska) appear to be misapplied to or misidentifications of M. aprica, M. occidentalis, or M. rhomboidea. Occasional, dwarfed specimens of M. hieraciifolia and M. subapetala are similarly mislabelled. (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
Source | FNA vol. 8, p. 68. | FNA vol. 8, p. 64. |
Parent taxa | ||
Sibling taxa | ||
Synonyms | Saxifraga fragosa, Saxifraga claytoniifolia, Saxifraga fragosa subsp. claytoniifolia, Saxifraga integrifolia var. claytoniifolia, Saxifraga nidifica var. claytoniifolia | Saxifraga nivalis |
Name authority | (Suksdorf ex Small) Small: in N. L. Britton et al., N. Amer. Fl. 22: 137. (1905) | (Linnaeus) Small: in N. L. Britton et al., N. Amer. Fl. 22: 136. 1905 , |
Web links |
|