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Yukon saxifrage

Olympic saxifrage, tisch's saxifrage

Habit Plants solitary or tufted, with bulbils on caudices. Plants solitary or in groups, with bulbils on caudices.
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, 0.4–2 cm;

blade ovate to elliptic, 0.5–2.5 cm, fleshy, base attenuate, margins serrate (7–16-toothed), ciliate, surfaces reddish brown-tomentose abaxially, glabrous or rarely glabrate adaxially.

Inflorescences

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

(3–)5–15(–18)-flowered, open, flat-topped thyrses or cymes, 2–7 cm, purple-tipped stipitate-glandular.

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 spreading to reflexed, ovate;

petals greenish, often purple-margined, not spotted, lanceolate to obovate, not clawed, 1.2–2(–2.5) mm, equaling to longer than sepals;

filaments linear, flattened;

pistils distinct almost to base;

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

Capsules

green to purplish, folliclelike.

purplish, folliclelike.

2n

= 20, 40.

Micranthes reflexa

Micranthes tischii

Phenology Flowering late spring–summer. Flowering summer.
Habitat Heath, tundra, dry to mesic meadows, alpine gravelly slopes and fellfields, open woods Wet, cool, shaded, thin-soil ledges and rock crevices
Elevation 0-1800 m (0-5900 ft) 1300-2400 m (4300-7900 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
AK; BC; NT; YT
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
WA; BC
[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.)

Of conservation concern.

Micranthes tischii is known only from the Olympic Peninsula and from inland, mountainous Vancouver Island, British Columbia (Ogilvie & Beguin 798911, V). Closely related to M. rufidula, M. tischii appears to be highly specialized for its habitat. The unusual persistent, green, not clawed (versus deciduous, white, clawed) petals readily distinguish the two species.

(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. 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. 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. reflexa, M. rhomboidea, M. rufidula, M. spicata, M. stellaris, M. subapetala, M. tempestiva, M. tenuis, M. texana, M. tolmiei, M. unalaschcensis, M. virginiensis
Synonyms Saxifraga reflexa Saxifraga tischii
Name authority (Hooker) Small: in N. L. Britton et al., N. Amer. Fl. 22: 146. (1905) (Skelly) Brouillet & Gornall: J. Bot. Res. Inst. Texas 1: 1021. 2007 ,
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