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Micranthes hitchcockiana

Hitchcock's saxifrage, Saddle Mountain saxifrage

branch-lettuce, lettuceleaf saxifrage

Habit Plants solitary or in clumps, short-rhizomatous. Plants solitary or in groups, with bulbils on caudices.
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 ± indistinct, (broad), flattened, 3–15 cm;

blade lanceolate to oblanceolate, 4–35 cm, thin, base attenuate, margins irregularly serrate to dentate, ciliate, surfaces sparsely hairy.

Inflorescences

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

(30–)50+–flowered, very open, lax thyrses, 30–75 cm, pink- to purplish-tipped stipitate-glandular; (bracts gradually smaller 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 strongly reflexed, oblong;

petals white, with 2 basal yellow spots that sometimes appear as 1 (sometimes faded in dried material), ± elliptic to spatulate, clawed, 2–3 mm, longer than sepals;

filaments strongly club-shaped;

pistils distinct almost to base;

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

Capsules

greenish to reddish purple, folliclelike.

green, sometimes purplish, folliclelike.

2n

= 76.

= 22.

Micranthes hitchcockiana

Micranthes micranthidifolia

Phenology Flowering late spring–summer. Flowering spring.
Habitat Wet rocks and ledges on mountain-top balds Rocky seepage slopes, stream banks
Elevation 600-1100 m (2000-3600 ft) 400-2100 m (1300-6900 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
OR
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
GA; KY; MD; NC; PA; SC; VA; WV
[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.)

Micranthes micranthidifolia was formerly gathered by local people in the southern Appalachians as a spring “green” (hence the common name, “branch” being dialect for a small stream); it is still occasionally seen in local grocery stores.

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

Source FNA vol. 8, p. 70. FNA vol. 8, p. 60.
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. hieraciifolia, M. hitchcockiana, M. howellii, M. idahoensis, M. integrifolia, M. lyallii, M. marshallii, 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 Robertsonia micranthidifolia, Aulaxis micranthidifolia, Saxifraga micranthidifolia
Name authority (Elvander) Brouillet & Gornall: Novon 18: 138. 2008 , (Haworth) Small: Fl. S.E. U.S., 501, 1331. 1903 ,
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