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Howell's saxifrage

Yukon saxifrage

Habit Plants solitary or in groups, with bulbils on caudices. Plants solitary or tufted, with bulbils on caudices.
Leaves

basal;

petiole flattened, 1–4 cm;

blade oblong to narrowly ovate, 1–2(–3) cm, ± fleshy, base attenuate, margins sharply serrate, eciliate, surfaces sparsely tangled, reddish brown-hairy abaxially, glabrous adaxially.

basal;

petiole broadly flattened, 1–2 cm;

blade elliptic to broadly ovate, 1–3 cm, fleshy, base attenuate, margins shallowly serrate (teeth to 1 mm), densely ciliate, surfaces tangled reddish brown-hairy.

Inflorescences

5–10(–20)-flowered, very open, lax, ± flat-topped cymes or thyrses, 5–10(–20) cm, glabrate to sparsely purple-tipped stipitate-glandular; (bracts glabrous).

15+-flowered thyrses with flowers crowded at branch tips, 7–60 cm, ± hairy, also with some purple-tipped glandular hairs.

Flowers

sepals strongly reflexed, elliptic, (surfaces glabrous);

petals white, not spotted, obovate to elliptic, clawed, 2.5–4.5 mm, longer than sepals;

filaments linear, flattened;

pistils distinct almost to base;

ovary ± superior.

sepals reflexed, ovate to triangular;

petals white, with 2 basal yellow spots (spots distinct even in dried material), elliptic to spatulate, clawed, 2–4 mm, longer than sepals;

filaments strongly club-shaped, (longer than petals);

pistils distinct almost to base;

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

Capsules

purple, valvate.

green to purplish, folliclelike.

2n

= 20, 40.

Micranthes howellii

Micranthes reflexa

Phenology Flowering early spring–early summer. Flowering late spring–summer.
Habitat Wet, rocky ledges and crevices Heath, tundra, dry to mesic meadows, alpine gravelly slopes and fellfields, open woods
Elevation 0-900 m (0-3000 ft) 0-1800 m (0-5900 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
CA; OR
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
AK; BC; NT; YT
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Micranthes idahoensis, M. marshallii, and M. reflexa form a morphological complex of ecologically and geographically distinct entities in western North America that is much in need of study. The eastern North American M. careyana and M. caroliniana are also morphologically similar to the members of this complex.

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

Source FNA vol. 8, p. 63. FNA vol. 8, p. 63.
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. hitchcockiana, 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. pensylvanica, M. petiolaris, M. razshivinii, 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 howellii Saxifraga reflexa
Name authority (Greene) Small: in N. L. Britton et al., N. Amer. Fl. 22: 140. (1905) (Hooker) Small: in N. L. Britton et al., N. Amer. Fl. 22: 146. (1905)
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