The Genus Saxifraga in the Columbia River Gorge of Oregon and Washington

Matted Saxifrage, Spotted Saxifrage: Saxifraga bronchialis ssp. austromontana (Synonyms: Ciliaria austromontana, Saxifraga austromontana, Saxifraga bronchialis var. austromontana) - Low growing mat or cushion forming plant. Leaves linear and pointed. Leaves both on basal stems and flowering stems. Petals spotted with red-purple dots at the tip, yellow-orange spots near the base.

Matted Saxifrage, Spotted Saxifrage, Yellowdot Saxifrage: Saxifraga bronchialis ssp. vespertina (Synonyms: Ciliaria vespertina, Saxifraga bronchialis var. vespertina) - Low growing mat or cushion forming plant. Leaves oblong to spatulate, only occasionally 3-lobed at the tips, otherwise, the tips are rounded. Petals spotted with red-purple dots at the tip, yellow-orange spots near the base.

Tufted Saxifrage: Saxifraga caespitosa ssp. caespitosa (formerly var. emarginata) - Low growing mat or cushion forming plant. Leaves narrowly lanceolate with 3 (sometimes 5) lobes at the tip. Flowers white with fairly large, rounded petals. No markings on petals.

Tufted Saxifrage: Saxifraga caespitosa ssp. subgemmifera - Low growing mat or cushion forming plant. Leaves narrowly lanceolate with 3 (sometimes 5) lobes at the tip. Flowers white with fairly large, rounded petals. No markings on petals.

Rusty Saxifrage: Saxifraga ferruginea var. vreelandii (formerly var. macounii) - Leaves basal, oblanceolate wit 3-4 pairs of teeth at the tip. Inflorescence an open, spreading panicle. White flowers have 3 larger petals with 2 yellow-orange spots near the base and 2 smaller petals with out markings.

Northwestern Saxifrage: Saxifraga integrifolia (formerly Saxifraga integrifolia var. integrifolia) - Very similar to Saxifraga nidifica var. claytoniifolia. Early spring wildflower to 18 inches tall. Leaves are basal, oval or elliptical in shape, with entire margins. The lower blade tapers more gradually to broad petioles rarely as long as the blade. The flowers are white. Common in moist banks and seepage slopes which dry out during the summer.

Merten's Saxifrage, Wood Saxifrage, Woodland Saxifrage: Saxifraga mertensiana (Synonym: Saxifraga mertensiana var. eastwoodiae) - Blades of basal and stem leaves round with large teeth on the margins, each tooth tipped with 3 smaller teeth. Flowers small, in an open panicle, with 5 narrow white petals. Prefers wet places. Could be confused with both Saxifraga nelsoniana and Saxifraga odontoloma.

Dotted Saxifrage, Brook Saxifrage: Saxifraga nelsoniana ssp. cascadensis (formerly S. punctata) - Basal leaves with round to kidney-shape. Margins with numerous triangular teeth. Each of the 5 white petals is narrowly to broadly oblong or oblong-elliptic, and each has 2 yellow dots near the base. Petals all the same size and shape. Could be confused with both Saxifraga mertensiana and Saxifraga odontoloma.

Peak Saxifrage: Saxifraga nidifica var. claytoniifolia (formerly S. integrifolia var. claytoniaefolia) - Very similar to Saxifraga integrifolia. Early spring wildflower to 18 inches tall. Leaves are basal, oval or elliptical in shape, with entire margins. The lower blade tapers abruptly to the thick petiole which is often as long as or longer than the blades. The flowers are white. Common in moist banks and seepage slopes which dry out during the summer.

Alberta Saxifrage (formerly Western Saxifrage): Saxifraga occidentalis (formerly S. occidentalis var. allenii) - Inflorescence pyramidal. Stems, calyces and branches of inflorescence greenish and generally lacking reddish hairs. Found on moist rocky banks which dry out in summer.

Brook Saxifrage: Saxifraga odontoloma (formerly S. arguta) - Leaves all basal and kidney-shaped with numerous triangular teeth. Petioles 2-3 times longer than the blades. Flowers on cymose panicles. Petals white and orbicular in shape, although the petals may be different sizes and shapes on the same flower. Could be confused with Saxifraga mertensiana and Saxifraga nelsoniana.

Gormann's Saxifrage (formerly Western Saxifrage): Saxifraga gormanii (formerly S occidentalis var. dentata ?) - I'm not sure if this species is found in the western Columbia River Gorge, but have included it just in case. Early spring wildflower to 10 inches high. Leaves basal, ovate with teeth. Petals white. Inflorescence flat-topped. Stems, calyces and branches of inflorescence often with red-tipped glands. Found on moist rocky banks which dry out in summer.

Bog Saxifrage: Saxifraga oregana (formerly Saxifraga oregana var. oregana) - Basal leaves large, oblanceolate with moderately acute tips. Inflorescence narrowly to widely cymose-paniculate. Petals white to greenish-white, or absent. Petals may be of different sizes.

Rustyhair Saxifrage (formerly Western Saxifrage): Saxifraga rufidula (Synonyms: Micranthes rufidula, Saxifraga aequidentata, Saxifraga klickitatensis, Saxifraga occidentalis ssp. rufidula, Saxifraga occidentalis var. aequidentata, Saxifraga occidentalis var. rufidula) -Early spring wildflower to 10 inches high. Leaves basal, ovate with teeth. Petals white. Inflorescence flat-topped. Stems, calyces and branches of inflorescence often with reddish hairs. Found on moist rocky banks which dry out in summer.