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

Michaux's saxifrage

Habit Plants solitary or in clumps, with bulbils on caudices. Plants solitary or tufted, with bulbils on caudices.
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 somewhat flattened, 2–6 cm;

blade oblanceolate, 2–12 cm, thin, basecuneate to ± attenuate, margins usually 15+-toothed (teeth large, lobelike), densely long glandular-ciliate, surfaces hairy.

Inflorescences

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

30+-flowered, very open, lax thyrses, (flowers rarely replaced by bulbils), 10–40 cm, densely tangled, purple-tipped stipitate-glandular; (bracts leaflike, gradually reduced distally).

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).

slightly bilaterally symmetric;

sepals reflexed, oblong to elliptic;

petals white, 3 with 2 basal yellow spots, 2 without spots, oblanceolate to spatulate, clawed, 3–4.5 mm, longer than sepals;

filaments linear, flattened;

pistils connate 1/2+ their lengths;

ovary superior.

Capsules

green to purplish, folliclelike.

green to yellow, sometimes purple tinged, valvate

2n

= 20 (+ 0–6 supernumeraries), 38.

Micranthes virginiensis

Micranthes petiolaris

Phenology Flowering spring. Flowering late spring–early autumn.
Habitat Rocky hillsides, cliffs and shaded rock outcrops, stream banks, wooded slopes Wet ledges, boulderfields, and rocky slopes, usually in thin soil over rock
Elevation 0-1500 m (0-4900 ft) 500-2100 m (1600-6900 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
GA; KY; MD; NC; SC; TN; VA; WV
[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.)

Micranthes petiolaris (Rafinesque) Brouillet & Gornall is an isonym.

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

Source FNA vol. 8, p. 61. 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. 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. 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. 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 Hexaphoma petiolaris, Saxifraga michauxii, Saxifraga petiolaris
Name authority (Michaux) Small: Fl. S.E. U.S., 501. 1903 , (Rafinesque) Bush: Amer. Midl. Naturalist 11: 225. 1928 ,
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