Saxifrage Family – Saxifragaceae

The former name for Tolmie’s Sxifrage was Saxifraga tolmiei.

Plant Description: Tolmie’s Saxifrage is a perennial with 2 to 4 inch tall flowering stems rising above a low, compact, sedum–like mat.  The flowering stems are reddish, somewhat glandular hairy above, with 1 to 3 flowers at the top. The leaves are shiny, green and smooth, .25 inch long, fleshy and rolled over on the edges, so as to be almost circular in cross section.

Flower Description: The flowers are 1/2 inch across.  The lobes of the 5 green sepals flare out, like petals. The petals are white, oval, widely separated and flare out between the sepal lobes. Between and in front of the petals are 10 petal-like, white stamen with red anthers which soon wither. There are usually 2, but as many as 4 carpels, with out-turning beaks.

Ecology: Tolmie’s Saxifrage grows at alpine and subapine elevations on rocky slopes and talus fields where melting snow saturates the ground. It blooms soon after snow melts.

Note: The genus of Tolmie’s 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.

 

 

Notes:

 

1) After pollination, the ovary begins to swell and turn reddish and the color often spreads to the calyx lobes and petals.

 

2) The genus of Tolmie’s Saxifrage has recently ben changed from Saxifraga to Micranthes.