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Idaho saxifrage, Marshall's saxifrage

Micranthes lyallii

Lyall's saxifrage, red-stem saxifrage

Habit Plants in groups or sometimes mat-forming, rhizomatous. Plants solitary or sometimes mat-forming, rhizomatous.
Leaves

basal;

petiole flattened, 3–15 cm;

blade ovate, 1–5 cm, ± fleshy, base attenuate, margins shallowly crenate-serrate (teeth ca. 2 mm), eciliate, surfaces sparsely tangled, reddish brown-hairy abaxially, glabrate adaxially.

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.

Inflorescences

15–50+-flowered, open, lax thyrses, 20–40 cm, purple-tipped stipitate-glandular.

usually 10–15-flowered, lax, cylindric thyrses, (red), (4–)7–30 cm, sparsely purple-tipped stipitate-glandular.

Flowers

sepals reflexed, lanceolate to oblong;

petals white, with 2 basal yellow spots (often faded when dried), ovate, clawed, 1.5–4.5 mm, longer than sepals;

filaments strongly club-shaped, sometimes petaloid (short-clawed, equaling petals);

pistils distinct almost to base;

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

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).

Capsules

greenish to reddish purple, folliclelike.

green to yellow, distal 1/2 purple, ± folliclelike, (basally connate).

2n

= 20.

= ca. 56, 58.

Micranthes marshallii

Micranthes lyallii

Phenology Flowering spring. Flowering summer–early autumn.
Habitat Deeply shaded watercourses, stream banks, seeps Wet, rocky meadows, mountain to alpine streamsides
Elevation 100-1000 m (300-3300 ft) 800-4000 m (2600-13100 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
CA; OR
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
AK; ID; MT; WA; AB; BC; NT; YT
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
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.)

Source FNA vol. 8, p. 63. FNA vol. 8, p. 57.
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. howellii, M. idahoensis, M. integrifolia, M. lyallii, 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. 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 marshallii Saxifraga lyallii, Saxifraga lyallii subsp. hultenii, Saxifraga lyallii var. hultenii
Name authority (Greene) Small: in N. L. Britton et al., N. Amer. Fl. 22: 145. 1905 , (Engler) Small: in N. L. Britton et al., N. Amer. Fl. 22: 143. 1905 ,
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