Compilation
Saxifraga cespitosa

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Name

Identification
Saxifraga cespitosa L. [family SAXIFRAGACEAE ] (stored under name); Verified by J. Müller (JE),
Related name
  • Saxifraga muscoides
  • Saxifraga uniflora
  • Saxifraga cespitosa
  • Saxifraga delicatula
  • Saxifraga groenlandica
  • Saxifraga eemua
  • Muscaria monticola
  • Saxifraga sileneflora
  • Saxifraga wilczeckii
  • Saxifraga nevadensis
  • Saxifraga moschata
Common name
  • saxifrage cespiteuse, Flora of North America Vol. 8
  • Tufted or tufted alpine saxifrage, Flora of North America Vol. 8

Flora

Entry for Saxifraga cespitosa Linnaeus [family SAXIFRAGACEAE]
Herbarium
Flora of North America (FNA)
Collection
Flora of North America
Resource Type
Reference Sources
Entry From
Flora of North America, Vol 8,
Names
Saxifraga cespitosa Linnaeus [family SAXIFRAGACEAE], Sp. Pl., 1: 404. 1753 ,
Muscaria delicatula Small [family ]
Muscaria micropetala Small [family ]
Muscaria monticola Small [family ]
Saxifraga cespitosa subsp. decipiens (Ehrhart) Engler & Irmscher [family SAXIFRAGACEAE]
Saxifraga cespitosa var. emarginata (Small) Rosendahl [family SAXIFRAGACEAE]
Saxifraga cespitosa subsp. exaratioides (Simmons) Engler & Irmscher [family SAXIFRAGACEAE]
Saxifraga cespitosa subsp. laxiuscula (Engler & Irmscher) Á. Löve & D. Löve [family SAXIFRAGACEAE]
Saxifraga cespitosa var. lemmonii Engler & Irmscher [family SAXIFRAGACEAE]
Saxifraga cespitosa var. minima Blankenship [family SAXIFRAGACEAE]
Saxifraga cespitosa subsp. monticola (Small) A. E. Porsild [family SAXIFRAGACEAE]
Saxifraga cespitosa subsp. sileneflora (Sternberg ex Chamisso) Hultén [family SAXIFRAGACEAE]
Saxifraga cespitosa subsp. subgemmifera Engler & Irmscher [family SAXIFRAGACEAE]
Saxifraga cespitosa var. subgemmifera (Engler & Irmscher) C. L. Hitchcock [family SAXIFRAGACEAE]
Saxifraga cespitosa subsp. uniflora (R. Brown) A. E. Porsild [family SAXIFRAGACEAE]
Treatment Author(s)
Luc Brouillet
Patrick E. Elvander†
Information
Plants densely cushion- to loosely mat-forming, (stems trailing), not stoloniferous, not rhizomatous, with ± woody caudex. Leaves basal and proximal cauline, (marcescent, crowded); petiole flattened, 2–6(–12) mm; blade elliptic to obovate or spatulate, 3(–5)-lobed apically (lobes oblong-elliptic), 4–15(–25) mm, ± fleshy, margins entire, sparsely short glandular-ciliate (mostly proximally), (nonsecreting hydathodes present adaxially at each lobe apex), apex obtuse, surfaces sparsely to densely short stipitate-glandular. Inflorescences 2–5-flowered cymes, sometimes solitary flowers, to 2–15(–20) cm, densely clear- or cream- to pinkish yellow-tipped stipitate-glandular; bracts sessile. Flowers: sepals erect to spreading, triangular or ovate to elliptic, margins stipitate-glandular, surfaces stipitate-glandular; petals white, proximally greenish to yellowish tinged, not spotted but sometimes striate, elliptic or oblanceolate to obovate, (1.5–)3–7(–15) mm, equaling or longer than sepals; ovary inferior. 2n = 78, 80.
Phenology
Flowering summer
Altitude range
0–4500 m
Distribution
GreenlandEuropeAsia (Siberia).USA AlaskaUSA Ariz.USA Calif.USA Colo.USA IdahoUSA Mont.USA Nev.USA N.Mex.USA Oreg.USA UtahUSA Wash.USA Wyo.Canada Alta.Canada B.C.Canada Man.Canada Nfld. and Labr.Canada N.W.T.Canada NunavutCanada Ont.Canada Que.Canada Yukon
Discussion
The North American representatives of Saxifraga cespitosa are very variable. It seems futile at this time to recognize any of the infrapecific taxa that have been described, although five are frequently distinguished as either subspecies or varieties. Expressions of all of the purported distinguishing characters overlap or have little apparent geographic or ecologic correlation. The only Southern Hemisphere representatives of Saxifraga are closely related to S. cespitosa. Reports of S. rosacea Moench from southern Greenland are misidentifications of this species.

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