Micranthes fragosa |
Micranthes tenuis |
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brittle-leaf saxifrage, Clayton's saxifrage, peak saxifrage |
slender saxifrage |
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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 broad, flattened, 0.2–1 cm; blade ± obovate to ± obtrullate, 0.5–1.5 cm, ± coriaceous, base ± attenuate to ± cuneate, margins serrate to dentate on distal 1/3–2/3, sometimes ciliate, surfaces glabrous or glabrate abaxially (rarely sparsely 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. |
usually 2–10-flowered, ± capitate cymes, sometimes solitary flowers, (1–)2–7(–11) cm, hairy or glabrous proximally, glabrate or ± purple-tipped stipitate-glandular distally. (Pedicels proximal ± elongate.) Flowers: sepals erect, ovate to deltate; petals white with purple margins, usually pink or purple tinged, not spotted, obovate to oblong, clawed, 2–3 mm, usually slightly longer than sepals; filaments linear, flattened; pistils connate to 1/2 their lengths; ovary 1/2 inferior, appearing more superior in fruit. |
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. |
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Capsules | green or reddish purple, folliclelike. |
reddish to purplish, folliclelike. |
2n | = 20, 38. |
= 20. |
Micranthes fragosa |
Micranthes tenuis |
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Phenology | Flowering spring–summer. | Flowering summer. |
Habitat | Wet, mossy cliffs, unstable slopes, often near watercourses | Open, mossy tundra, rocky ridges, shady ledges |
Elevation | 100-2600 m [300-8500 ft] | 0-1500 m [0-4900 ft] |
Distribution |
ID; OR; WA
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AK; BC; LB; NT; NU; QC; YT; Greenland; Europe; Asia (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 tenuis is morphologically distinguished from M. nivalis only with great difficulty. D. A. Webb and R. J. Gornall (1989) claimed that chromosome number is one of the chief reasons for continuing to recognize the species and, indeed, their enumeration of morphologic differences is not entirely convincing. Occasionally, both species appear to occur in the same populations. The generally smaller size, tendency to glabrousness, fewer number of flowers, and petal color variations reasonably distinguish M. tenuis. Depauperate specimens of M. nivalis are particularly difficult to separate from M. tenuis except for their very consistent hairiness and white petals. Due to the morphologic confusion, exact distributions are difficult to assess and chromosome number reports may be doubtful (D. L. Krause and K. I. Beamish 1973). A thorough systematic study is needed. (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
Source | FNA vol. 8, p. 68. | FNA vol. 8, p. 65. |
Parent taxa | ||
Sibling taxa | ||
Synonyms | Saxifraga fragosa, Saxifraga claytoniifolia, Saxifraga fragosa subsp. claytoniifolia, Saxifraga integrifolia var. claytoniifolia, Saxifraga nidifica var. claytoniifolia | Saxifraga nivalis var. tenuis, Saxifraga tenuis |
Name authority | (Suksdorf ex Small) Small: in N. L. Britton et al., N. Amer. Fl. 22: 137. (1905) | (Wahlenberg) Small: in N. L. Britton et al., N. Amer. Fl. 22: 136. (1905) |
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