Micranthes lyallii
Micranthes nelsoniana
Lyall's saxifrage, red-stem saxifrage
dotted saxifrage, heartleaf saxifrage, Nelson's saxifrage, saxifrage
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 rounded, 3–30 cm;
blade reniform to round, 2–9 cm, thin or slightly fleshy, sometimes thick and fleshy, base cordate, margins deeply crenate, eciliate or sparsely short glandular-ciliate, surfaces glabrous or ± hairy.
usually 10–15-flowered, lax, cylindric thyrses, (red), (4–)7–30 cm, sparsely purple-tipped stipitate-glandular.
10+-flowered, ± open, lax to congested, conic, sometimes also glomerate thyrses, 10–35 cm, tangled-hairy (pilose-arachnoid) at least distally, sometimes also purple- or brown-tipped stipitate-glandular.
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 reflexed, ± ovate;
petals white to pinkish, rarely orange-spotted, ovate to oblong, narrowly to broadly clawed, 2.5–4.5 mm, longer than sepals;
filaments distinctly club-shaped;
pistils connate 1/2–3/4 their lengths;
ovary superior (to 1/3 adnate to hypanthium).
green to yellow, distal 1/2 purple, ± folliclelike, (basally connate).
green to yellow and purplish tinged to dark purple, valvate.
= ca. 56, 58.
Micranthes lyallii
Micranthes nelsoniana
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.)
Varieties 6 (5 in the flora).
Although sometimes reported for North America, Saxifraga nelsoniana var. aestivalis (Fischer & C. A. Meyer) H. Ohba (S. aestivalis Fischer & C. A. Meyer) is found only in Eurasia.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
1. Inflorescences purple- or brown-tipped stipitate- glandular. | var. nelsoniana |
1. Inflorescences tangled-hairy | → 2 |
2. Leaf blade margins 9-12-toothed; capsules 6-12 mm; mostly Queen Charlotte Islands, adjacent coastal British Columbia. | var. carlottae |
2. Leaf blade margins 12-18-toothed; capsules 3-8 mm; Oregon to Alaska and nw Canada | → 3 |
3. Inflorescences somewhat lax, hairs appressed; Coast Ranges and Cascades, British Columbia, Oregon, Washington. | var. cascadensis |
3. Inflorescences congested, hairs ascending; nw Canada, Alaska | → 4 |
4. Leaf blades thick, fleshy; pistils connate most of their lengths; Aleutian Islands, Alaska. | var. insularis |
4. Leaf blades thin, not fleshy; pistils connate to 3/4 their lengths; nw Canada, Alaska. | var. porsildiana |
- Local floras:
BC, 
OR, 
WA - Local Web sites:
Flora NW, 
PNW Herbaria 
WildflowerSearch
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USDA Plants Database- LBJ Wildflower Center
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