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Micranthes hitchcockiana

Hitchcock's saxifrage, Saddle Mountain saxifrage

Gorman's saxifrage

Habit Plants solitary or in clumps, short-rhizomatous. Plants in groups or, sometimes, almost mat-forming, rhizomatous.
Leaves

basal;

petiole often indistinct, flattened, 5–50 mm;

blade elliptic to obovate, 4–12 cm, slightly fleshy, base cuneate, margins serrate to dentate, densely ciliate, surfaces densely tangled-hairy.

basal;

petiole flattened, 5–7.5 cm;

blade ovate to elliptic, 3–4 cm, fleshy, base attenuate, margins shallowly crenate-serrate, sparsely ciliate, surfaces tangled, reddish brown-hairy.

Inflorescences

70+-flowered, open, lax, flat-topped thyrses, 15–35 cm, tangled, yellow-tipped stipitate-glandular.

(10–)30+-flowered, open, lax, strongly divaricately branched, conic thyrses, 8–30 cm, purple-tipped stipitate-glandular; (bracts glabrous, proximal marginally ciliate).

Flowers

sepals reflexed, elliptic to ovate;

petals white, not spotted, elliptic, clawed, 2–5 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, ovate to oblong, (margins eciliate, surfaces glabrous);

petals white, not spotted, obovate to ± round, clawed, ca. 2 mm, ca. 1.5 times as long as sepals;

filaments linear, flattened;

pistils distinct almost to base;

ovary nearly 1/3 inferior, (to 1/3 adnate to hypanthium).

Capsules

greenish to reddish purple, folliclelike.

greenish to reddish purple, folliclelike.

2n

= 76.

= 20, 38, 40.

Micranthes hitchcockiana

Micranthes gormanii

Phenology Flowering late spring–summer. Flowering spring.
Habitat Wet rocks and ledges on mountain-top balds Wet, rocky ledges and slopes
Elevation 600-1100 m (2000-3600 ft) 0-1000 m (0-3300 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
OR
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
OR; WA
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Of conservation concern.

Micranthes hitchcockiana may have originated from hybridization between M. rufidula and M. oregana (P. E. Elvander 1984; W. E. Perkins 1978).

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

Source FNA vol. 8, p. 70. FNA vol. 8, p. 62.
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. fragosa, M. gaspensis, M. gormanii, M. hieraciifolia, 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. 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
Synonyms Saxifraga hitchcockiana Saxifraga gormanii, Saxifraga occidentalis var. dentata
Name authority (Elvander) Brouillet & Gornall: Novon 18: 138. 2008 , (Suksdorf) Brouillet & Gornall: J. Bot. Res. Inst. Texas 1: 1020. 2007 ,
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