Micranthes nivalis

(Linnaeus) Small in N. L. Britton et al.

in N. L. Britton et al., N. Amer. Fl. 22: 136. 1905 ,.

Common names: Alpine saxifrage saxifrage des neiges
Basionym: Saxifraga nivalis Linnaeus Sp. Pl. 1: 401. 1753
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 8. Treatment on page 64. Mentioned on page 52, 65, 66.

Plants tufted, with bulbils on caudices. Leaves basal; petiole flattened, (0.4–) 1–4 cm; blade ovate to ± round, sometimes elliptic or oblong, (0.5–) 1–4 cm, thick, coriaceous, base attenuate to ± truncate, margins serrate to dentate on distal 2/3 (sometimes more), proximally ciliate, surfaces ± densely tangled, reddish brown-hairy abaxially, glabrous or glabrate adaxially. Inflorescences (5–) 10–40-flowered, congested, almost capitate thyrses, (3–) 7–20 cm, ± densely purple-tipped stipitate-glandular. Flowers: sepals erect, spreading in fruit, ovate to deltate; petals white, sometimes pink tinged, not spotted, oblong to ovate, clawed, 2–4 mm, ± equaling sepals; filaments linear, flattened; pistils connate ca. 1/2 their lengths; ovary 1/2 inferior, appearing more superior in fruit. Capsules green, becoming reddish to purplish, folliclelike. 2n = 60.


Phenology: Flowering summer.
Habitat: Open, mossy tundra, rocky ridges, or shady ledges
Elevation: 0-1500 m

Distribution

V8 123-distribution-map.gif

Greenland, Alta., B.C., Nfld. and Labr. (Labr.), N.W.T., Nunavut, Que., Yukon, Alaska, Europe, Asia (Himalayas), Asia (Kamchatka), Asia (Siberia)

Discussion

Micranthes nivalis is closely related to M. tenuis. All records of M. nivalis in the United States (except Alaska) appear to be misapplied to or misidentifications of M. aprica, M. occidentalis, or M. rhomboidea. Occasional, dwarfed specimens of M. hieraciifolia and M. subapetala are similarly mislabelled.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.

"thick" is not a number."full" is not a number.

... more about "Micranthes nivalis"
epigynous +, perigynous +  and hypogynous +
palmate +  and pinnate +
acute +  and obtuse or rounded +
Luc Brouillet +  and Patrick E. Elvander† +
(Linnaeus) Small in N. L. Britton et al. +
attenuate to more +
Saxifraga nivalis +
0.5 cm5 mm <br />0.005 m <br /> (1 cm10 mm <br />0.01 m <br />) +
dentate +, serrate +  and entire +
glandular-ciliate +  and ciliate +
oblong +, elliptic +, ovate +  and more or less round +
1 cm10 mm <br />0.01 m <br /> (4 cm40 mm <br />0.04 m <br />) +
coriaceous +
reddish;purplish +
3-carpellate +  and 2-carpellate +
connate +  and distinct +
Alpine saxifrage +  and saxifrage des neiges +
ebracteate +, bracteate +  and 2-300(-1000+)-flowered +
Greenland +, Alta. +, B.C. +, Nfld. and Labr. (Labr.) +, N.W.T. +, Nunavut +, Que. +, Yukon +, Alaska +, Europe +, Asia (Himalayas) +, Asia (Kamchatka) +  and Asia (Siberia) +
0-1500 m +
flattened +
bracteate +  and 2-70+[-1000]-flowered +
unisexual +  and bisexual +
2 cm20 mm <br />0.02 m <br /> (125 cm1,250 mm <br />1.25 m <br />) +
2-3(-4)-beaked +  and folliclelike +
Open, mossy tundra, rocky ridges, or shady ledges +
multicellular +
glabrous +, stipitate-glandular +  and hairy +
purplish +  and green +
free +  and adnate +
0 cm0 mm <br />0 m <br /> (0.05 cm0.5 mm <br />5.0e-4 m <br />) +
(5-)10-40-flowered +
opposite +  and alternate +
crassinucellate +, unitegmic +  and bitegmic +
epigynous +, perigynous +  and hypogynous +
purple-margined +
not spotted +, pink tinged +  and white +
reddish purple +  and purple +
distinct +
clawed +, oblong +  and ovate +
0.2 cm2 mm <br />0.002 m <br /> (0.4 cm4 mm <br />0.004 m <br />) +
peltate +  and jointed +
0.4 cm4 mm <br />0.004 m <br /> (1 cm10 mm <br />0.01 m <br />) +
flattened +
1 cm10 mm <br />0.01 m <br /> (4 cm40 mm <br />0.04 m <br />) +
Flowering summer. +
2(-3)-carpellate +
unequal +
in N. L. Britton et al., N. Amer. Fl. +
straight +
muricate +, cellular-rugulose +, tuberculate +, pitted +, papillate +  and wrinkled +
ovoid +, ellipsoid +  and oblong +
reddish +  and green +
distinct +
spreading +  and erect +
ovate +  and deltate +
unbranched +  and branched +
persistent +
horizontal +  and erect +
2 +  and 3 +
connate +  and distinct +
reddish brown-hairy +
glabrate +  and glabrous +
Micranthes nivalis +
Micranthes +
species +
purple-tipped +
3 cm30 mm <br />0.03 m <br /> (7 cm70 mm <br />0.07 m <br />) +
stipitate-glandular +
7 cm70 mm <br />0.07 m <br /> (20 cm200 mm <br />0.2 m <br />) +
dentate +, serrate +  and entire +
stoloniferous +  and rhizomatous +
annual +, biennial +  and perennial +