Micranthes lyallii |
Micranthes careyana |
|
---|---|---|
Lyall's saxifrage, red-stem saxifrage |
Carey's saxifrage |
|
Habit | Plants solitary or sometimes mat-forming, rhizomatous. | Plants often mat-forming, with extensive rhizomes. |
Leaves | basal; petiole rounded to flattened, 2–10 cm; blade spatulate to obovate, 0.8–8 cm, thin, base cuneate to slightly attenuate, margins serrate to dentate, eciliate or sparsely glandular-ciliate, surfaces abaxially glabrous, adaxially sparsely brown-hairy. |
basal; petiole flattened, 1–7 cm; blade rounded or broadly ovate to oblong, 1–7 cm, thin, base truncate, margins coarsely serrate to dentate, sparsely ciliate, surfaces sparsely to ± densely tangled, reddish brown-hairy. |
Inflorescences | usually 10–15-flowered, lax, cylindric thyrses, (red), (4–)7–30 cm, sparsely purple-tipped stipitate-glandular. |
40+-flowered, lax, open thyrses, 10–40(–50) cm, purple-tipped stipitate-glandular. |
Flowers | sepals reflexed, oblong to elliptic; petals white, each with 2 basal yellowish green spots, elliptic to round, clawed, 2–5.5 mm, longer than sepals; filaments club-shaped, (to 6 mm); pistils connate 1/2+ their lengths; ovary superior, (to 1/3 adnate to hypanthium). |
sepals spreading, broadly ovate; petals white, sometimes some with 2 faint, basal yellow spots (sometimes fading upon drying), narrowly ovate to elliptic, clawed, 2–4(–5) mm, 2+ times as long as sepals; filaments linear, flattened; pistils distinct almost to base; ovary superior, (to 1/3 adnate to hypanthium). |
Capsules | green to yellow, distal 1/2 purple, ± folliclelike, (basally connate). |
green, ± purple tinged, folliclelike. |
2n | = ca. 56, 58. |
|
Micranthes lyallii |
Micranthes careyana |
|
Phenology | Flowering summer–early autumn. | Flowering spring–early summer. |
Habitat | Wet, rocky meadows, mountain to alpine streamsides | Moist soil at bases of vertical or overhanging rock outcrops, seeps |
Elevation | 800-4000 m (2600-13100 ft) | 500-1600 m (1600-5200 ft) |
Distribution |
AK; ID; MT; WA; AB; BC; NT; YT
|
AL; GA; KY; NC; TN; VA; WV |
Discussion | Although they have nearly disjunct sets of populations, the subspecies of Micranthes lyallii are difficult to distinguish from each other. The more northern plants tend to be larger with wider leaves and often have been called Saxifraga lyallii subsp. or var. hultenii. Apparent hybrids with M. odontoloma occur in Alberta, British Columbia, and northern Idaho, and near Glacier National Park, Montana. (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
Micranthes careyana is very similar to M. caroliniana; both are in need of study. (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
Source | FNA vol. 8, p. 57. | FNA vol. 8, p. 61. |
Parent taxa | Saxifragaceae > Micranthes | Saxifragaceae > Micranthes |
Sibling taxa | ||
Synonyms | Saxifraga lyallii, Saxifraga lyallii subsp. hultenii, Saxifraga lyallii var. hultenii | Saxifraga careyana, Saxifraga tennesseensis |
Name authority | (Engler) Small: in N. L. Britton et al., N. Amer. Fl. 22: 143. 1905 , | (A. Gray) Small: Fl. S.E. U.S., 501. 1903 , |
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