Saxifragaceae ~ Saxifrage Family Santalaceae
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Santalaceae ~ Sandalwood Family Saxifragaceae ~ Saxifrage Family Plants in this family have simple, entire, The saxifrage family consists of mostly perennial herbs with simple, palmately veined leaves— usually alternate leaves. They are mainly basal but sometimes arranged alternately on the stem—with panicles of small flowers usually often partly parasitic on other plants on a separate stalk. Flowers almost always have 5 separate petals, 5 sepals, and 5 or 10 stamens. but are still green and make their own The ovary usually has 2 carpels and pistils and may be inferior, superior, or in-between and can be a chlorophyll. The flower parts are in 4’s good field mark to distinguish similar species. The flower parts are attached to a cup (hypanthium) or 5’s. An inferior ovary develops into and may appear tube-like because of fused sepals. The numerous seeds are usually in a capsule. This a drupe or a nut. The sandalwood tree large family favors cool climates and is well represented in the Cascades, especially in shady habitats. (Santalum album) of south India is well- It would be difficult to find a stretch of forest without at least a few representatives of Saxifragaceae. known for its wood, as well as for its The latin name Saxifraga means “rock breaking” and there are quite a few rock lovers as well. Many fragrance, used in products like incense species make good garden plants. Non-native species commonly cultivated include Bergenia, Astilbe, and soap. Bastard toad-flax is the only and Coralbells (Heuchera sanguinea). Two related families, Grossulariaceae and Parnassiaceae, were representative of this family in Oregon. formerly included in Saxifragaceae. Some authorities place the closely relat- ed mistletoe family, Viscaceae, within SMALL-FLOWERED PRAIRIE-STAR perennial • 4–16" (10–40 cm) the sandalwood family. rocky or grassy slopes Lithophragma parviflorum early: May to June BASTARD TOAD-FLAX The deeply cut petals and leaves of the prairie-stars Comándra umbellàta (also called woodland-star and fringecup) make this an easy genus to recognize. Telling the species apart is not perennial • 4–16" (10–40 cm) quite so simple. Small-flowered prairie-star is the most rocky areas, meadows, open forest common species in the Cascades. Its petals are white middle: July to pale pink and generally divided into 3 lobes. The 3-beaked ovary is mostly inferior. The pubescent calyx Bastard toad-flax is a rhizomatous has 5 triangular lobes and is often purple. It is longer perennial that, while it does make chlo- than wide, tapering gradually to the base, somewhat rophyll, is partially parasitic on other like a vase. The glandular hairy leaves are deeply cut plants to which it attachs by under- into 3 to 5 palmate segments, then further divided into ground root connections (Its hosts in another 2 or 3 lobes. Most of the leaves are basal but our area are unknown). Its off-white there may be a few smaller leaves on the stem. flowers have no petals. Instead, the Smooth prairie-star (L. glabrum) is seen infrequently calyx is partly united at the base into in our area. It has a shorter, cup-shaped calyx tube a tube with 5 star-like pointy lobes. with an abruptly rounded base and shallow lobes, Butterflies are attracted to small tubu- and 5 narrower petal lobes that tend to be pink. Its lar flowers and can be seen nectaring at leaves are usually glabrous and may have little red bul- the clusters of flowers at the end of the bils in the leaf axils. The stems are red. It is generally a stems. The calyx teeth persist on the more delicate plant and, despite the name, has smaller spherical drupe-like fruit. The elliptic flowers than small-flowered prairie-star. to lance-shaped leaves are bluish- Small-flowered prairie-star is found throughout green, smooth, and fleshy. They are Oregon and across much of the west. You can see more or less sessile and arranged alter- this dainty perennial at Youngs Rock, Buck Canyon, nately up the stems. Tire Mountain, Bachelor Mountain, and Castle Rock. Bastard toad-flax is a widespread Smooth prairie-star is more common east of the species ranging across most of the US. Cascades but can be seen at McCord Creek Falls and It is fairly common in the Cascades, Cone Peak. though less so to the south. It can be seen on many of the hikes includ- ing Grasshopper Meadows, Coffin Mountain, Castle Rock, and Lowder Mountain. It is particularly plentiful by the lookout at Olallie Mountain in mid-July. 240 • Santalaceae Saxifrage Family • 241 Smooth prairie star RUSTYHAIR SAXIFRAGE OREGON SAXIFRAGE Micránthes rufídula Micránthes oregàna (Saxifraga occidentalis var. rufidula) (Saxifraga oregana) perennial • 4–8" (10–20 cm) perennial • 10–36" (25–90 cm) rocky seeps, cliffs bogs, wet meadows early to middle: May to June middle: June to July Rustyhair saxifrage is a small perennial of very This robust, coarse perennial has rosettes of rocky places, its numerous fleshy rosettes often oblong to spoon-shaped basal leaves 2–6" filling cracks on moist mossy cliffs and outcrops. long which taper gradually at the base, unlike The leaves are somewhat oval with scalloped the similar but smaller grassland saxifrage that edges and a wedge-shaped base tapering to a has distinct petioles. The leafless flowering stem short petiole. They are shiny above with red- is softly hairy, becoming glandular toward the dish hairs underneath; the oldest ones are often top. The inflorescence is generally a tight, elon- bright red. They shrivel up in summer drought, gated panicle but may be more open. Each but amazingly fall rains green them up again. flower has 5 white, somewhat irregular, oval Held up by a gland-covered stem is a flat-topped petals at the edge of a broad green half supe- panicle of clear white, 5-petaled flowers with rior ovary with 2 short beak-like styles. 2-parted, mostly superior ovaries that turn red as Oregon saxifrage ranges from Washington they ripen. to California and east to Montana and Colorado. Rustyhair saxifrage is limited to mountains It is found in wet meadows at all elevations mainly west of the Cascade crest from southern and can be seen occasionally in the Western British Columbia to northern California. Illahee Cascades. Look for it at Groundhog Mountain, Rock, Tire Mountain, Castle Rock, Cone Peak, and Echo Basin, Bruno Meadows, Carpenter Bearbones are all great places to see this beauty. Mountain, and Buck Canyon. RUSTY SAXIFRAGE perennial • 4–16" (10–40 cm) moist rock outcrops, open woods GRASSLAND SAXIFRAGE Micránthes (Saxífraga) ferrugínea early to middle: June to July Micránthes (Saxífraga) integrifòlia The narrow, toothed leaves of rusty saxifrage perennial • 6–18" (15–45 cm) tend to be sparsely hairy with more hairs along vernally moist meadows, rocky seeps the leaf edge. They taper at the base with- middle: May to July out a noticeable petiole and are arranged in tight rosettes. The 5 unequal petals of the The fleshy leaves of grassland saxifrage are more- small white flowers narrow abruptly to a or-less ovate and taper abruptly to a petiole thin claw; the 3 largest have a pair of yellow not quite as long as the leaf blade. They are spots. They are in airy panicles on glandu- fleshy and entire or with small teeth. The small lar stems. The 2-parted superior ovaries start rosettes often grow tightly packed in large colo- out white but turn green and then red as they nies in moist areas. The white flowers resemble mature. In the Western Cascades, and else- those of Oregon saxifrage with 5 oval petals and where mainly in the southern part of its range, shorter reflexed sepals attached at the side of the tiny plantlets replace many of the flowers. ovary, but the inflorescence may be more open. This quick method of reproductions often Swamp saxifrage (S. nidifica) is very similar and results in dense patches of rosettes. may be seen in our area. It differs mainly in hav- Rusty saxifrage is found in mountains from ing a petiole longer than the leaf blade. northern California to Alaska, east to Alberta Grassland saxifrage occurs from southern and northwestern Montana. British Columbia east to Montana and Usually limited to small south across most of Oregon to California. areas on any trail, look for it It is fairly common at low to middle ele- at Mt. June, Table Rock, Blair vations and can be found at Youngs Rock, Lake, Abbott Butte, and Tire Mountain, Cone Peak, and Fish Creek. Whitehorse Meadows. 242 • Saxifragaceae Saxifrage Family • 243 BROOK SAXIFRAGE perennial • 12–24" (30–60 cm) MATTED SAXIFRAGE streambanks and wet, shady banks Micránthes odontolòma Saxífraga bronchiàlis middle: June to mid-July (Saxifraga arguta) Although not closely related, the large round perennial • 3–6" (7–15 cm) leaves of brook saxifrage look similar to those outcrops and cliffs of wood saxifrage but have only a single set early: June of large sharp teeth. The small white flowers The simple leaves of this evergreen species are quite distinctive. The petals are round are crowded onto short stems to form cliff- with a narrow claw where they attach at hugging mats. They are more or less oblong the base of the prominent superior ovary with a pointed tip and are fringed with and are decorated with 2 green dots. The short hairs. Both leaves and stems may stamens have flattened, club-shaped fila- be tinged with red. The flowers have oval ments and red anthers and extend beyond white petals that typically have a series the petals. Red, gland-tipped hairs cover of tiny spots which vary from yellow to the stems of the open inflorescence.