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early saxifrage, early small-flower-saxifrage, saxifrage de virginie, Virginia saxifrage

Columbian saxifrage, grassland saxifrage, northwestern saxifrage, smooth leaf saxifrage, swamp saxifrage, whole-leaf saxifrage

Habit Plants solitary or in clumps, with bulbils on caudices. Plants solitary or in clumps, (sometimes gynodioecious), often with bulbils on caudices, or short-rhizomatous.
Leaves

basal;

petiole flattened, 1–9 cm;

blade ovate to elliptic, 2–8 cm, ± fleshy, base attenuate, margins irregularly crenate to serrate, ciliate, surfaces sparsely to ± densely stipitate-glandular and tangled, reddish brown-hairy, adaxially glabrescent.

basal;

petiole flattened, 0.5–4 cm;

blade narrowly to broadly ovate, 2–7 cm, ± leathery, base attenuate, margins entire or minutely denticulate, usually ciliate, surfaces sparsely to moderately hairy.

Inflorescences

30+-flowered, (flowers sometimes secund), very open, lax, ± flat-topped thyrses, 6–50 cm, proximally hairy, distally densely purple-tipped stipitate-glandular.

(15–)20+-flowered, open to ± congested, conic thyrses, (usually branched, lateral cymules ± open), 12–35 cm, densely pink- to purple-tipped stipitate-glandular.

Flowers

sepals erect to ascending (even in fruit), ovate to triangular;

petals white, not spotted, broadly oblong to elliptic, not or rarely slightly clawed, 3–6 mm, 2+ times as long as sepals;

filaments linear, flattened;

pistils distinct almost to base;

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

sepals spreading to slightly reflexed, ovate;

petals white, not spotted, obovate, clawed, 2–4 mm, longer 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 (+ 0–6 supernumeraries), 38.

= 38.

Micranthes virginiensis

Micranthes integrifolia

Phenology Flowering spring. Flowering late winter–spring.
Habitat Rocky hillsides, cliffs and shaded rock outcrops, stream banks, wooded slopes Vernally moist meadows, grassy slopes, rock outcrops
Elevation 0-1500 m (0-4900 ft) 0-1800 m (0-5900 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
AL; AR; CT; DC; GA; IL; IN; KY; LA; MA; MD; ME; MI; MN; MO; MS; NC; NH; NJ; NY; OH; PA; RI; SC; TN; VA; VT; WV; MB; NB; ON; QC
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
CA; OR; WA; BC
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Also reported for Micranthes virginiensis is 2n = 28; D. E. Soltis (1983) documented zero to six supernumerary chromosomes in this species and speculated that this report may have included eight supernumeraries.

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

The occasional occurrence of sterile pollen has been noted in this as well as in other species of Micranthes (as Saxifraga, K. I. Beamish 1961). Some populations exhibit gynodioecism (P. E. Elvander 1982).

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

Source FNA vol. 8, p. 61. FNA vol. 8, p. 67.
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. rufidula, M. spicata, M. stellaris, M. subapetala, M. tempestiva, M. tenuis, M. texana, M. tischii, M. tolmiei, M. unalaschcensis
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. 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 virginiensis Saxifraga integrifolia
Name authority (Michaux) Small: Fl. S.E. U.S., 501. 1903 , (Hooker) Small: in N. L. Britton et al., N. Amer. Fl. 22: 137. 1905 ,
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