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Micranthes hitchcockiana

Hitchcock's saxifrage, Saddle Mountain saxifrage

hawkweed-leaf saxifrage

Habit Plants solitary or in clumps, short-rhizomatous. Plants mostly solitary, with short caudices, sometimes 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 sometimes indistinct, flattened, 2–4 cm;

blade ovate to elliptic, 2–6 cm, ± fleshy, base cuneate to slightly attenuate, margins usually ± evenly serrulate to denticulate, ciliate, surfaces sparsely to densely hairy and sparsely stipitate-glandular.

Inflorescences

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

30+-flowered, constricted, spikelike thyrses, 7–30 cm, tangled-hairy proximally, densely purple-tipped stipitate-glandular distally.

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 spreading to reflexed, triangular to ovate;

petals dark reddish purple, not spotted, narrowly ovate to lanceolate, slightly clawed, 1.5–3 mm, equaling sepals;

filaments linear, flattened;

pistils connate to 1/2 their lengths;

ovary 1/2+ inferior.

Capsules

greenish to reddish purple, folliclelike.

reddish to purple, valvate.

2n

= 76.

= 112, 120.

Micranthes hitchcockiana

Micranthes hieraciifolia

Phenology Flowering late spring–summer. Flowering summer.
Habitat Wet rocks and ledges on mountain-top balds Wet, mossy tundra, streamsides, ledges, crevices
Elevation 600-1100 m (2000-3600 ft) 0-2000 m (0-6600 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
OR
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
AK; MT; BC; NT; NU; YT; Greenland; Europe; Asia
[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.)

In British Columbia, Micranthes hieraciifolia is disjunct between the far north and the Okanagan-Thompson Plateau in the south (S. A. Harris 2003).

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

Source FNA vol. 8, p. 70. FNA vol. 8, p. 66.
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. gormanii, 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 hieraciifolia, Saxifraga hieraciifolia var. angusticapsula, Saxifraga hieraciifolia var. rufopilosa
Name authority (Elvander) Brouillet & Gornall: Novon 18: 138. 2008 , (Waldstein & Kitaibel ex Willdenow) Haworth: Saxifrag. Enum., 45. 1821 (as hieracifolia) ,
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