Micranthes gaspensis
Micranthes eriophora
Gaspé saxifrage, saxifrage de gaspésie
redfuzz saxifrage
basal;
petiole flattened, 0.7–2.5 cm;
blade obtrullate or obovate to ovate, 0.8–2.5 cm, ± coriaceous, base attenuate to ± cuneate, margins serrate to dentate on distal 2/3, ciliate, surfaces tangled, reddish brown-hairy abaxially, glabrous or glabrate adaxially.
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.
3–10-flowered, subcapitate to spicate cymes or thyrses, 2–10(–15) cm, glabrate to sparsely hairy proximally, ± densely purple-tipped stipitate-glandular distally.
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.
sepals erect, reflexed in fruit, triangular to deltate;
petals white, not spotted, obovate, clawed, 1.5–2 mm, ± equaling sepals;
filaments linear, flattened;
pistils connate to 1/2 their lengths;
ovary 1/2 inferior, appearing more superior in fruit.
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.
green, becoming reddish or purplish, folliclelike.
purplish, valvate.
= 40.
Micranthes gaspensis
Micranthes eriophora
Of conservation concern.
Micranthes gaspensis appears to be the stabilized hybrid derivative of M. nivalis and M. tenuis (C. Gervais et al. 1995), known only from the Shickshock Mountains of the Gaspé Peninsula; the chromosome number is intermediate between that of the parents (2n = 60 and 20, respectively), and seeds are fertile. Neither parent occurs any longer in the Gaspé Peninsula, and the plants appear to self-perpetuate.
F1 hybrids of the two parent species (also 2n = 40) occur in Yukon (D. L. Krause and K. I. Beamish 1973) and possibly at other locations throughout their range of sympatry, such as northern Quebec and Labrador; such hybrids will key out with Micranthes gaspensis. Individuals called Saxifraga rufopilosa (Hultén) A. E. Porsild [S. nivalis (Linnaeus) Small var. rufopilosa Hultén] from Yukon and Alaska (W. J. Cody 2000) also will key out here. These may represent either the F1 hybrids mentioned above or stabilized hybrid populations such as those in the Gaspé. It is possible that such stabilized populations would fit under the name M. gaspensis. A systematic study is needed before a taxonomic conclusion can be reached concerning their status.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
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