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Idaho saxifrage, Marshall's saxifrage

Yukon saxifrage

Habit Plants in groups or sometimes mat-forming, rhizomatous. Plants solitary or tufted, with bulbils on caudices.
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 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

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

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

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, 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

greenish to reddish purple, folliclelike.

green to purplish, folliclelike.

2n

= 20.

= 20, 40.

Micranthes marshallii

Micranthes reflexa

Phenology Flowering spring. Flowering late spring–summer.
Habitat Deeply shaded watercourses, stream banks, seeps Heath, tundra, dry to mesic meadows, alpine gravelly slopes and fellfields, open woods
Elevation 100-1000 m (300-3300 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. 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. 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 marshallii Saxifraga reflexa
Name authority (Greene) Small: in N. L. Britton et al., N. Amer. Fl. 22: 145. 1905 , (Hooker) Small: in N. L. Britton et al., N. Amer. Fl. 22: 146. (1905)
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