Saxifraga eschscholtzii Sternb.
Saxifraga fimbriata D. Don
Leptosea fimbriata (D. Don)Small
Plants cushion-like; 1–5 cm high. Aerial stems erect, or decumbent (numerous, densely compacted); glabrous. Leaves distributed along the stems; alternate (overlapping densely); not heterophyllous; marcescent (turning pale brown or grey). Petioles absent. Blades 2–4 cm long; 1–2.5 mm wide; obovate, or spatulate; with inconspicuous veins; glabrous. Leaf margins with non-glandular hairs (large and hyaline). Conspicuous hydathodes absent (in contrast to S. oppositifolia. Caution: dead leaves may turn white and superficially resemble lime deposits). Leaf apices obtuse, or rounded.
Plants monoecious, or bisexual. Flowering stems 0.2–1.5 cm long; without leaves; glabrous. Flowers solitary; small, less than 5 mm in diameter or length (female flowers with large purplish carpels and stamens with small anthers; male flowers with abortive carpels and large yellow anthers). Calyx sepals 5; purple; scarious; glabrous (ciliate margins). Petals yellow (drying pale brown); spatulate; 1.5–2.5 mm long; same length as the calyx. Stamens 10. Carpels partly fused (for more than half their length); 2. Gynoecia superior. Styles 2. Stigmas per style 1. Ovules 10–50. Fruit with calyx persisting (becoming reflexed); ovoid (with divergent styles); 2.8–3.2 mm long; 0.6–0.9 mm wide; purple; styles style modified modifying and persisting. Seeds 10–25; 0.6–1 mm long; brown; smooth (with fine markings seen at 40x).
Chromosome information. 2n = 12.
Distribution. Amphi-Beringian. Alpine (species ranging eastwards along the Brooks Range. In Canada, known from the North Yukon, from sea level to slopes of the Buckland Hills and British Mountains, and a single record from Prince Patrick Island (Porsild and Cody 1980). Range in the Canadian Arctic Archipelago limited. Rare. Arctic Islands: Parry Islands (Prince Patrick Island).
Taxon as an environmental indicator. The northernmost record, and first collection for the Arctic Archipelago, is N.W.T. Prince Patrick Island, Greene Bay, 76°54'N, 119°30'W, 7 July, 1968, M. Kuc s.n. (CAN).
Notes. This species is superficially similar to S. oppositifolia, but differs in its grey green foliage and alternate leaves. It was first collected on the Arctic Archipelago in 1968. It is possibly under-collected as it resembles lichens when not flowering.
Illustrations. • Plant habit. Plants easily mistaken for lichens. The leaves are alternate, the flowers borne singly. This picture shows fruit capsules with the tops of the carpels at right angles to the fruit. • Arctic Island Distribution.
Cite this publication as: ‘C.L. McJannet, S.G. Aiken, M.J. Dallwitz, L.J. Gillespie and L.L. Consaul. 1997 onwards. Saxifragaceae of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago: Descriptions, Illustrations, Identification, and Information Retrieval. Version: 28th November 2000. http://www.mun.ca/biology/delta/arcticf/’. Dallwitz (1980), Dallwitz, Paine and Zurcher (1993, 1995, 2000), Aiken, Dallwitz et al. (1999), and Aiken, Dallwitz, McJannet, Gillespie, and Consaul (1998) should also be cited (see References).
