Saxifrage Family – Saxifragaceae
Actual flower size: 1/4 inch across
Brook Saxifrage is also called Stream Saxifrage or Mountain Meadow Saxifrage. Older Latin names for this flower are Saxifraga odontoloma and Saxifrage arguta.
Plant Description: Brook Saxifrage has a flowering stem that is 12 inches tall, purple, glandular, and branching, with many tiny flowers. The leaves are basal, long stalked, 1 to 2 inches across, with a conspicuous U-shaped notch at the base and regular, large sharp tooth.
Flower Description: The flower is 1/4 inch across. The calyx is pink to purple with 5 greatly reflexed sepals. The 5 petals are white, round, clawed, somewhat reflexed, and have 2 yellow spots on them. There are 10 white, club-shaped stamens with red or purple anthers.
Ecology: Brook Saxifrage grows along steam banks and lakes edges and in wet meadows and seep areas at low to alpine elevations.
Note: The genus of Brook Saxifrage has recently been changed from Saxifrage to Micranthes. See the note below the gallery on the Saxifrage Family page and the “APG Changes” page for more information