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rusty-hair saxifrage

Alaska saxifrage, rusty hair saxifrage, rusty saxifrage

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

basal;

petiole flattened, 4–8 cm;

blade ovate to elliptic, 1–4 cm, fleshy, base attenuate to ± truncate, margins serrate (15–30- toothed), eciliate, surfaces densely tangled, reddish brown-hairy abaxially, glabrous adaxially.

basal;

petiole indistinct, flattened, to 2 cm;

blade spatulate to oblanceolate, 1–8(–10) cm, ± fleshy, base cuneate, margins irregularly serrate (usually with fewer than 12 coarse teeth), ciliate, surfaces hairy.

Inflorescences

15+-flowered, open, flat-topped thyrses, 5–20 cm, purple-tipped stipitate-glandular; (bracts often tangled brown-hairy).

20–30+-flowered, (flowers sometimes replaced ± completely by bulbils, or bulbils sometimes absent), open, lax thyrses, 10–40 cm, moderately to ± densely purple stipitate-glandular; (bracts reduced).

Flowers

sepals spreading, ovate, (often tangled brown-hairy);

petals white, not spotted, ovate to elliptic, clawed, 2–4 mm, longer than sepals;

filaments linear, flattened to slightly club-shaped;

pistils distinct almost to base;

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

± bilaterally symmetric;

sepals reflexed, ovate to oblong;

petals white, 3 with 2 basal yellow spots, 2 without spots, elliptic to oblanceolate, clawed, 3–5 mm, longer than sepals;

filaments linear, flattened;

pistils connate 1/2+ their lengths;

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

Capsules

greenish to reddish purple, folliclelike.

green or yellow, sometimes purple tinged, or partly purple, valvate.

2n

= 20, 38, 56, 58.

= 20.

Micranthes rufidula

Micranthes ferruginea

Phenology Flowering late winter–summer. Flowering summer–early autumn.
Habitat Wet to dry, rocky ledges Wet ledges, seepage slopes, stream banks
Elevation 0-3000 m (0-9800 ft) 10-2700 m (0-8900 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
CA; OR; WA; BC
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
AK; CA; ID; MT; OR; WA; WY; AB; BC; NT
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Plants with bulbils replacing flowers are more common in the southern part (southern Alberta and British Columbia southwards) of the range of Micranthes ferruginea and have been called Saxifraga ferruginea var. macounii.

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

Source FNA vol. 8, p. 62. FNA vol. 8, p. 58.
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. reflexa, M. rhomboidea, 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. 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 aequidentata, Saxifraga occidentalis subsp. rufidula, Saxifraga occidentalis var. rufidula, Saxifraga rufidula Saxifraga ferruginea, Saxifraga ferruginea var. macounii, Saxifraga ferruginea var. newcombei, Saxifraga ferruginea var. vreelandii, Saxifraga newcombei
Name authority Small: in N. L. Britton et al., N. Amer. Fl. 22: 140. (1905) (Graham) Brouillet & Gornall: J. Bot. Res. Inst. Texas 1: 1020. 2007 ,
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