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brittle-leaf saxifrage, Clayton's saxifrage, peak saxifrage

Palmer's saxifrage

Habit Plants often mat-forming, long, thin-rhizomatous. Plants solitary or in clumps, 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, 1–9 cm;

blade ovate to elliptic, 2–8 cm, slightly fleshy, base attenuate, margins entire or subentire, ciliate, surfaces tangled, reddish brown-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.

30+-flowered, (flowers sometimes almost secund), very open, lax thyrses, 6–50 cm, hairy proximally, densely so distally.

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 to ascending, ovate to triangular;

petals white, not spotted, broadly oblong to elliptic, not clawed, 3–6 mm, 2+ times as long as sepals;

filaments linear, flattened;

pistils distinct almost to base;

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

Capsules

green or reddish purple, folliclelike.

green with reddish or purplish tinge, or reddish purple, folliclelike.

2n

= 20, 38.

Micranthes fragosa

Micranthes palmeri

Phenology Flowering spring–summer. Flowering spring.
Habitat Wet, mossy cliffs, unstable slopes, often near watercourses Rocky, open woodlands
Elevation 100-2600 m [300-8500 ft] 100-1000 m [300-3300 ft]
Distribution
from FNA
ID; OR; WA
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
AR; OK
[BONAP county map]
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.)

Source FNA vol. 8, p. 68. Treatment authors: Luc Brouillet, Patrick E. Elvander†. FNA vol. 8, p. 61. Treatment authors: Luc Brouillet, Patrick E. Elvander†.
Parent taxa Saxifragaceae > Micranthes Saxifragaceae > Micranthes
Sibling taxa
M. apetala, M. aprica, M. bryophora, M. californica, M. calycina, M. careyana, M. caroliniana, M. eriophora, M. ferruginea, M. foliolosa, 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. 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. 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 fragosa, Saxifraga claytoniifolia, Saxifraga fragosa subsp. claytoniifolia, Saxifraga integrifolia var. claytoniifolia, Saxifraga nidifica var. claytoniifolia Saxifraga palmeri, Saxifraga virginiensis var. subintegra
Name authority (Suksdorf ex Small) Small: in N. L. Britton et al., N. Amer. Fl. 22: 137. (1905) Bush: Amer. Midl. Naturalist 11: 221. 1928 ,
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