[The Saxifrage Family West of the Cascade Mountains of Oregon and Washington]

Saxifrages West of the Cascade Mountains of Oregon and Washington

The Genera Cascadia, Micranthes and Saxifraga

Nuttall's Saxifrage: Cascadia nuttallii (Synonym: Saxifraga nuttallii)

Nuttall's Saxifrage: Cascadia nuttallii

Nuttall's Saxifrage: Cascadia nuttallii (Synonym: Saxifraga nuttallii) -

Sierra Saxifrage: Micranthes aprica (Synonym: Saxifraga aprica) -

California Saxifrage: Micranthes californica (Synonyms: Saxifraga californica, Saxifraga fallax, Saxifraga parvifolia) -

Hybrid Saxifrage: Micranthes californica x integrifolia -

Rusty Saxifrage, Vreeland's Rusty Saxifrage, Alaska Saxifrage: Micranthes ferruginea (Synonyms: Saxifraga ferruginea, Saxifraga ferruginea var. ferrnuginea, Saxifraga ferruginea var. macounii, Saxifraga ferruginea var. vreelandii) - 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.

Brittle-leaved Saxifrage, Fleshy-leaved Saxifrage: Micranthes fragosa (Synonyms: Saxifraga fragosa, Saxifraga fragosa ssp. claytoniaefolia, Saxifraga fragosa var. fragosa, Saxifraga integrifolia var. claytoniaefolia, Saxifraga integrifolia var. claytoniifolia, Saxifraga nidifica, Saxifraga nidifica var. claytoniifolia)

Gorman's Saxifrage: Micranthes gormanii (Synonyms: Saxifraga gormanii, Saxifraga occidentalis var. dentata) -

Saddle Mountain Saxifrage, Hitchcock's Saxifrage: Micranthes hitchcockiana (Synonyms: Saxifraga hitchcockiana, Saxifraga latipetiolata, Saxifraga occidentalis var. latipetiolata) - This taxon is currently lumped in with Micranthes oregana, at least in Oregon.

Howell's Saxifrage: Micranthes howellii (Synonym: Saxifraga howellii) -

Common Western Saxifrage, Northwestern Saxifrage, Wholeleaf Saxifrage: Micranthes integrifolia (Synonyms: Saxifraga integrifolia, Saxifraga integrifolia var. integrifolia) - Early spring wildflower to 18 inches tall. Leaves are basal, oval or elliptical in shape, with entire margins. The flowers are white. Common in moist banks and seepage slopes which dry out during the summer.

Hybrid Saxifrage: Micranthes integrifolia x marshallii -

Hybrid Saxifrage: Micranthes integrifolia x oregana -

Marshall's Saxifrage: Micranthes marshallii (Synonyms: Saxifraga hallii, Saxifraga marshallii) -

Dotted Saxifrage, Nelson's Saxifrage: Micranthes nelsoniana var. cascadensis (Synonyms: Micranthes nelsoniana, Saxifraga nelsoniana ssp cascadensis, Saxifraga punctata, Saxifraga punctata var. cascadensis) - 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 Saxifraga odontoloma.

Nesting Saxifrage: Micranthes nidifica (Synonyms: Saxifraga columbiana, Saxifraga integrifolia var. columbiana, Saxifraga integrifolia var. leptopetala Saxifraga nidifica, Saxifraga nidifica var. nidifica) -

Western Saxifrage, Alberta Saxifrage, Mountain Saxifrage, Western Mountain Saxifrage: Micranthes occidentalis (Synonyms: Saxifraga occidentalis, Saxifraga occidentalis var. allenii, Saxifraga occidentalis var. occidentalis, Saxifraga occidentalis ssp. occidentalis, Saxifraga occidentalis var. wallowensis) - Early spring wildflower to 10 inches high. Leaves basal, ovate with teeth. Petals white. Stems reddish. Found on moist rocky banks which dry out in summer.

Brook Saxifrage, Stream Saxifrage, Streambank Saxifrage: Micranthes odontoloma (Synonyms: Saxifraga odontoloma, Saxifraga aestivalis, Saxifraga arguta, Saxifraga punctata var. 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 punctata.

Bog Saxifrage, Hitchcock's Saxifrage, Oregon Saxifrage, Saddle Mountain Saxifrage: Micranthes oregana (Synonyms: Micranthes hitchcockiana, Micranthes oregana, Saxifraga occidentalis var. latipetiolata, Saxifraga oregana, Saxifraga oregana var. montanensis, 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.

Rusty-hair Saxifrage, Rusty-haired Saxifrage: Micranthes rufidula (Synonyms: Saxifraga occidentalis var. aequidentata,Saxifraga aequidentata, Saxifraga occidentalis ssp. rufidula, Saxifraga occidentalis var. rufidula, Saxifraga rufidula) -

Olympic Saxifrage: Micranthes tischii (Synonym: Saxifraga tischii) -

Alpine Saxifrage, Tolmie's Saxifrage, Tolmie's Alpine Saxifrage: Micranthes tolmiei (Synonyms: Saxifraga tolmiei, Saxifraga tolmiei var. tolmiei) - Low growing and densely tufted, with short, nearly prostrate, leafy stems. Leaves smoth, crowded, fleshy and spatulate. The leaves are 6-10 mm long with entire margins. The flower stems are from 5-10 cm high, leafless or with up to 2 small bracts. The flowers are single or in cymes. the calyx may be purple with spreading lobes. The white petals are twice as long as the sepals. The seed capsule is oval and is often mottled with purplish blotches.

Matted Saxifrage, Spotted Saxifrage: Saxifraga austromontana (Synonyms: Ciliaria austromontana, Saxifraga bronchialis ssp. 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.

Tufted Alpine Saxifrage, Tufted Saxifrage: Saxifraga cespitosa (Synonyms: Saxifraga caespitosa, Saxifraga caespitosa var. emarginata, Saxifraga caespitosa ssp. caespitosa, Saxifraga caespitosa var. subgemmifera, Saxifraga caespitosa ssp. subgemmifera, Saxifraga cespitosa var. cespitosa, Saxifraga cespitosa ssp. cespitosa, Saxifraga cespitosa var. subgemmifera, Saxifraga cespitosa ssp. subgemmifera) -

Tufted Saxifrage: Saxifraga caespitosa 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 var. 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.

Alpine-brook Saxifrage, Pygmy Saxifrage, Weak Saxifrage: Saxifraga hyperborea (Synonyms: Saxifraga debilis, Saxifraga flexuosa, Saxifraga rivularis, Saxifraga rivularis ssp. hyperborea, Saxifraga rivularis var. flexuosa, Saxifraga rivularis var. hyperborea, Saxifraga rivularis var. purpurascens) -

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.

Purple Mountain Saxifrage, Purple Saxifrage, Twinflowered Saxifrage: Saxifraga oppositifolia (Synonym: Saxifraga oppositifolia ssp. oppositifolia) -

Rueleaf Saxifrage, Rue-leaved Saxifrage: Saxifraga tridactylites - Non-native.

Matted Saxifrage, Spotted Saxifrage, Yellowdot Saxifrage: Saxifraga vespertina (Synonyms: Ciliaria vespertina, Saxifraga bronchialis ssp. 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.


Paul Slichter E-mail