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Yukon saxifrage

tiny swamp saxifrage, western swamp saxifrage

Habit Plants solitary or tufted, with bulbils on caudices. Plants solitary or in clusters, with bulbils on caudices, or short-rhizomatous.
Leaves

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.

basal;

petiole flattened, 0.5–3 cm;

blade ± ovate, 2–5 cm, ± fleshy, base attenuate, margins entire or crenulate, eciliate, surfaces hairy.

Inflorescences

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

10–25-flowered, congested, glomerate thyrses, 4–15 cm, pink- to purple-tipped stipitate-glandular (hairs uniseriate).

Flowers

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).

sepals erect to ascending, ovate;

petals absent, sometimes 1–5, white to greenish white, not spotted, linear to oblong, clawed, 1–2 mm, much shorter than sepals;

filaments linear, flattened;

pistils connate to 1/2 their lengths;

ovary 1/2+ inferior.

Capsules

green to purplish, folliclelike.

reddish or purplish, folliclelike.

2n

= 20, 40.

= 38.

Micranthes reflexa

Micranthes apetala

Phenology Flowering late spring–summer. Flowering early spring–summer.
Habitat Heath, tundra, dry to mesic meadows, alpine gravelly slopes and fellfields, open woods Vernally moist meadows, wet depressions on mountain slopes
Elevation 0-1800 m (0-5900 ft) 600-2800 m (2000-9200 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
AK; BC; NT; YT
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
ID; MT; OR; WA
[WildflowerSearch map]
[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. 68.
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. 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
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. 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 reflexa Saxifraga apetala, Saxifraga integrifolia var. apetala
Name authority (Hooker) Small: in N. L. Britton et al., N. Amer. Fl. 22: 146. (1905) (Piper) Small: in N. L. Britton et al., N. Amer. Fl. 22: 135. 1905 ,
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