Al Schneider's Rocky Mountains Plant Descriptions

Mat Saxifrage
Saxifraga bronchialis
Saxifrage family (Saxifragaceae)

The tiny leaves of Dotted Saxifrage form a moss-like mat, often found cascading over the edge of rocks. Flowers are minute but exotic, with red and orange dots ornamenting the interior of the petals. This is a beautiful, delicate plant that needs a hands-and-knees look. Saxifraga bronchialis might be confused with Eremogone fendleri. Linnaeus named this and species in 1753.


©2009 Paul Slichter

Description

, 3-6" tall, with prickly, minute leaves and slender stems arising from a moss-like mat. , , firm, and tipped with short . Leaves clustered tightly around base and scattered along stems. Three to six inch flower stems bear few to many flowers. Flowers are white, 5-petalled, saucer-shaped, arranged in loose clusters at stem tips. Petals commonly with yellow-orange-red-purple spots. are pairs of beaked pods.

Field Marks

Small mat-forming plant, prickly leaves, slender stems, and white, spotted, 5-petalled flowers.

© Al Schneider

An evergreen tree retains a large portion of its green leaves all year.

A perennial plant lives and blooms for many years.

spine -- a stiff, sharp structure formed by the modification of a plant organ that contains vascular tissue. A spine can be formed by a latteral branch, a modified leaf or a thorn.

A herb is a plant whose stems die back to the ground in the winter.

fruit -- any seed-bearing structure in flowering plants. It is formed from the ovary after flowering.

genus -- A subdivision of a botanical Family in which all members have a significant number of similar characteristics.

leaves alternate along the main stem and are attached singly.

linear -- Long and very narrow like a blade of grass.