Micranthes nelsoniana

(D. Don) Small

in N. L. Britton et al., N. Amer. Fl. 22: 147. 1905 ,.

Common names: Dotted or Nelson’s saxifrage
Basionym: Saxifraga nelsoniana D. Don Trans. Linn. Soc. London 13: 355. 1822
Synonyms: Saxifraga punctata subsp. nelsoniana (D. Don) Hultén Saxifraga punctata var. nelsoniana (D. Don) Engler
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 8. Treatment on page 54. Mentioned on page 50, 52, 53, 56.

Plants solitary or tufted, with bulbils on branched caudices, rhizomatous. Leaves basal; petiole rounded, 3–30 cm; blade reniform to round, 2–9 cm, thin or slightly fleshy, sometimes thick and fleshy, base cordate, margins deeply crenate, eciliate or sparsely short glandular-ciliate, surfaces glabrous or ± hairy. Inflorescences 10+-flowered, ± open, lax to congested, conic, sometimes also glomerate thyrses, 10–35 cm, tangled-hairy (pilose-arachnoid) at least distally, sometimes also purple- or brown-tipped stipitate-glandular. Flowers: sepals reflexed, ± ovate; petals white to pinkish, rarely orange-spotted, ovate to oblong, narrowly to broadly clawed, 2.5–4.5 mm, longer than sepals; filaments distinctly club-shaped; pistils connate 1/2–3/4 their lengths; ovary superior (to 1/3 adnate to hypanthium). Capsules green to yellow and purplish tinged to dark purple, valvate.

Distribution

V8 90-distribution-map.gif

Alta., B.C., N.W.T., Nunavut, Yukon, Alaska, Oreg., Wash., Europe (ne Russia), Asia.

Discussion

Varieties 6 (5 in the flora).

Although sometimes reported for North America, Saxifraga nelsoniana var. aestivalis (Fischer & C. A. Meyer) H. Ohba (S. aestivalis Fischer & C. A. Meyer) is found only in Eurasia.

Selected References

None.

Key

1 Inflorescences purple- or brown-tipped stipitate- glandular. Micranthes nelsoniana var. nelsoniana
1 Inflorescences tangled-hairy > 2
2 Leaf blade margins 9-12-toothed; capsules 6-12 mm; mostly Queen Charlotte Islands, adjacent coastal British Columbia. Micranthes nelsoniana var. carlottae
2 Leaf blade margins 12-18-toothed; capsules 3-8 mm; Oregon to Alaska and nw Canada > 3
3 Inflorescences somewhat lax, hairs appressed; Coast Ranges and Cascades, British Columbia, Oregon, Washington. Micranthes nelsoniana var. cascadensis
3 Inflorescences congested, hairs ascending; nw Canada, Alaska > 4
4 Leaf blades thick, fleshy; pistils connate most of their lengths; Aleutian Islands, Alaska. Micranthes nelsoniana var. insularis
4 Leaf blades thin, not fleshy; pistils connate to 3/4 their lengths; nw Canada, Alaska. Micranthes nelsoniana var. porsildiana
... more about "Micranthes nelsoniana"
Luc Brouillet +  and Patrick E. Elvander† +
(D. Don) Small +
Saxifraga nelsoniana +
Dotted or Nelson’s saxifrage +
Alta. +, B.C. +, N.W.T. +, Nunavut +, Yukon +, Alaska +, Oreg. +, Wash. +, Europe (ne Russia) +  and Asia. +
in N. L. Britton et al., N. Amer. Fl. +
Saxifraga punctata subsp. nelsoniana +  and Saxifraga punctata var. nelsoniana +
Micranthes nelsoniana +
Micranthes +
species +