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Micranthes hitchcockiana

Hitchcock's saxifrage, Saddle Mountain saxifrage

eastern swamp saxifrage, marsh, marsh saxifrage, Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania saxifrage, swamp saxifrage, swamp small-flower-saxifrage

Columbian saxifrage, grassland saxifrage, northwestern saxifrage, smooth leaf saxifrage, swamp saxifrage, whole-leaf saxifrage

Habit Plants solitary or in clumps, short-rhizomatous. Plants solitary or in groups, with thick, fleshy rhizomes. Plants solitary or in clumps, (sometimes gynodioecious), often with bulbils on caudices, or short-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 indistinct, flattened, 3–10 cm;

blade linear or elliptic to ovate, 6–25 cm, fleshy, base attenuate, margins entire or subentire, ciliate, surfaces usually densely short-hairy, often tangled brown-hairy along proximal midveins.

basal;

petiole flattened, 0.5–4 cm;

blade narrowly to broadly ovate, 2–7 cm, ± leathery, base attenuate, margins entire or minutely denticulate, usually ciliate, surfaces sparsely to moderately hairy.

Inflorescences

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

(30–)50+-flowered, open, often lax thyrses, 25–125 cm, purple-tipped stipitate-glandular.

(15–)20+-flowered, open to ± congested, conic thyrses, (usually branched, lateral cymules ± open), 12–35 cm, densely pink- to purple-tipped stipitate-glandular.

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 reflexed, triangular to ovate;

petals white to cream or rarely purple, not spotted, linear to narrowly elliptic, not clawed or slightly clawed, 2–3 mm, longer than sepals;

filaments linear, flattened;

pistils connate to 1/2 their lengths;

ovary 1/2+ inferior, appearing superior in fruit.

sepals spreading to slightly reflexed, ovate;

petals white, not spotted, obovate, clawed, 2–4 mm, longer than sepals;

filaments linear, flattened;

pistils connate to 1/2 their lengths;

ovary 1/2+ inferior.

Capsules

greenish to reddish purple, folliclelike.

green, folliclelike.

reddish or purplish, folliclelike.

2n

= 76.

= 56, 84, 112.

= 38.

Micranthes hitchcockiana

Micranthes pensylvanica

Micranthes integrifolia

Phenology Flowering late spring–summer. Flowering spring. Flowering late winter–spring.
Habitat Wet rocks and ledges on mountain-top balds Marshy meadows, mucky seepages in woods, swamp forests, montane bogs and seeps Vernally moist meadows, grassy slopes, rock outcrops
Elevation 600-1100 m (2000-3600 ft) 100-1400 m (300-4600 ft) 0-1800 m (0-5900 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
OR
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
CT; DE; IA; IL; IN; KY; MA; MD; ME; MI; MN; MO; NC; NH; NJ; NY; OH; PA; RI; TN; VA; VT; WI; WV; MB; ON; SK
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
CA; OR; WA; BC
[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.)

Purple-petalled populations of Micranthes pensylvanica have been known as Saxifraga purpuripetala and are found in Maine, New York, Pennsylvania, and Vermont.

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

The occasional occurrence of sterile pollen has been noted in this as well as in other species of Micranthes (as Saxifraga, K. I. Beamish 1961). Some populations exhibit gynodioecism (P. E. Elvander 1982).

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

Source FNA vol. 8, p. 70. FNA vol. 8, p. 67. FNA vol. 8, p. 67.
Parent taxa Saxifragaceae > Micranthes 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. micranthidifolia, M. nelsoniana, M. nidifica, M. nivalis, M. nudicaulis, M. occidentalis, M. odontoloma, M. oregana, M. palmeri, 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. 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 pensylvanica, M. pensylvanica var. purpuripetala, Saxifraga forbesii, Saxifraga pensylvanica var. forbesii, Saxifraga pensylvanica subsp. interior, Saxifraga pensylvanica var. purpuripetala, Saxifraga pensylvanica subsp. tenuirostrata, Saxifraga purpuripetala Saxifraga integrifolia
Name authority (Elvander) Brouillet & Gornall: Novon 18: 138. 2008 , (Linnaeus) Haworth: Saxifrag. Enum., 45. (1821) (Hooker) Small: in N. L. Britton et al., N. Amer. Fl. 22: 137. 1905 ,
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