Alaska saxifrage, rusty saxifrage, russethair saxifrage • Saxifraga ferruginea
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Photos by Francine Beaujot (top left), Ian Cruickshank (bottom left), and Katie Davidson (right).
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Identification
Alaska saxifrage is a perennial flowering species with an unbranched stem base. The stem may branch into multiple flowering stems higher up. All leaves are in a basal rosette, and are wedge or spoon shaped, toothed, and have wide stalks. The flowers range in colour from white to purple and have stalked petals (clearly visible in the left-hand photo above). Three of the five petals bear two yellow spots each, and are usually larger than the other two petals. The lower flowers tend to be replaced with bulblets. The flowers form open clusters. This plant reaches 10-35 cm tall, and can be variable in appearance depending on its habitat.
Habitat & Range
Alaska saxifrage grows in moist and open areas including mossy outcrops, along streams, wet rock outcrops, and gravelly slopes. It is found from low to alpine elevations, and is fairly common throughout much of BC. Its range stretches across much of western North America.
Similar species
Alpine saxifrage (Saxifraga nivalis) grows only in alpine habitats, is smaller (gets to 20 cm tall), has more dense flower clusters, and its leaves are elliptic or oval in shape. It is much less common, and is more frequently in northern BC.
Alaska saxifrage is a perennial flowering species with an unbranched stem base. The stem may branch into multiple flowering stems higher up. All leaves are in a basal rosette, and are wedge or spoon shaped, toothed, and have wide stalks. The flowers range in colour from white to purple and have stalked petals (clearly visible in the left-hand photo above). Three of the five petals bear two yellow spots each, and are usually larger than the other two petals. The lower flowers tend to be replaced with bulblets. The flowers form open clusters. This plant reaches 10-35 cm tall, and can be variable in appearance depending on its habitat.
Habitat & Range
Alaska saxifrage grows in moist and open areas including mossy outcrops, along streams, wet rock outcrops, and gravelly slopes. It is found from low to alpine elevations, and is fairly common throughout much of BC. Its range stretches across much of western North America.
Similar species
Alpine saxifrage (Saxifraga nivalis) grows only in alpine habitats, is smaller (gets to 20 cm tall), has more dense flower clusters, and its leaves are elliptic or oval in shape. It is much less common, and is more frequently in northern BC.
References
Saxifraga ferruginea Graham. In Klinkenberg, Brian. (Ed.). E-Flora BC: Electronic Atlas of the Plants of British Columbia. Lab for Advanced Spatial Analysis, Department of Geography, University of British Columbia, Vancouver. Accessed 10/04/2014.
Pojar, J. and MacKinnon, A. (1994). Plants of Coastal British Columbia. Vancouver, BC: Lone Pine Publishing. P. 163.
Authors and editors of page
Kelly Fretwell and Brian Starzomski (2014).
Saxifraga ferruginea Graham. In Klinkenberg, Brian. (Ed.). E-Flora BC: Electronic Atlas of the Plants of British Columbia. Lab for Advanced Spatial Analysis, Department of Geography, University of British Columbia, Vancouver. Accessed 10/04/2014.
Pojar, J. and MacKinnon, A. (1994). Plants of Coastal British Columbia. Vancouver, BC: Lone Pine Publishing. P. 163.
Authors and editors of page
Kelly Fretwell and Brian Starzomski (2014).
