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brook saxifrage, stream saxifrage, streambank saxifrage

Micranthes hitchcockiana

Hitchcock's saxifrage, Saddle Mountain saxifrage

Habit Plants solitary or sometimes grouped, rhizomatous. Plants solitary or in clumps, short-rhizomatous.
Leaves

basal;

petiole rounded, 2–30 cm;

blade round, 7–40 cm, thin to slightly fleshy, base cordate to truncate, margins regularly dentate, eciliate, surfaces sparsely brownish hairy abaxially, glabrous adaxially.

basal;

petiole often indistinct, flattened, 5–50 mm;

blade elliptic to obovate, 4–12 cm, slightly fleshy, base cuneate, margins serrate to dentate, densely ciliate, surfaces densely tangled-hairy.

Inflorescences

10–30+-flowered, open, lax, flat-topped thyrses, 20–65(–85) cm, glabrous proximally, purple-tipped subsessile-glandular distally.

70+-flowered, open, lax, flat-topped thyrses, 15–35 cm, tangled, yellow-tipped stipitate-glandular.

Flowers

sepals reflexed, ovate to elliptic;

petals white, each with 2 basal yellow spots, round to broadly elliptic, clawed, 3–4.5 mm, longer than sepals;

filaments strongly club-shaped, (to 6 mm);

pistils connate ca. 1/2 their lengths;

ovary superior.

sepals reflexed, elliptic to ovate;

petals white, not spotted, elliptic, clawed, 2–5 mm, longer than sepals;

filaments linear, flattened;

pistils connate to 1/2 their lengths;

ovary 1/2 inferior, appearing more superior in fruit.

Capsules

green to purple, ± folliclelike.

greenish to reddish purple, folliclelike.

2n

= 24, 48.

= 76.

Micranthes odontoloma

Micranthes hitchcockiana

Phenology Flowering summer–early autumn. Flowering late spring–summer.
Habitat Wet meadows and stream banks Wet rocks and ledges on mountain-top balds
Elevation 1500-4000 m (4900-13100 ft) 600-1100 m (2000-3600 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
AZ; CA; CO; ID; MT; NM; NV; OR; UT; WA; WY; AB; BC
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
OR
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Of conservation concern.

Micranthes hitchcockiana may have originated from hybridization between M. rufidula and M. oregana (P. E. Elvander 1984; W. E. Perkins 1978).

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

Source FNA vol. 8, p. 56. FNA vol. 8, p. 70.
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. marshallii, M. micranthidifolia, M. nelsoniana, M. nidifica, M. nivalis, M. nudicaulis, M. occidentalis, 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. 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. 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 odontoloma Saxifraga hitchcockiana
Name authority (Piper) A. Heller: Muhlenbergia 8: 60. 1912 , (Elvander) Brouillet & Gornall: Novon 18: 138. 2008 ,
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