Common Name: SAXIFRAGE FAMILY
Habit: Perennial herb from caudex or rhizome, generally +- hairy. Stem: often +- leafy on proximal 1/2, rarely trailing and leafy throughout. Leaf: generally simple, basal and/or cauline, generally alternate, generally petioled; veins +- palmate. Inflorescence: raceme or panicle, generally +- scapose. Flower: generally bisexual, generally radial; hypanthium free to +- fused to ovary; calyx lobes generally 5; petals generally 5, free, generally clawed, generally white; stamens 3, [4], 5, 8, or 10; pistils 1 (carpels +- fused, ovary lobed, chambers 1 or 2, placentas generally 2(3), axile or parietal or occasionally proximally axile and distally marginal in ovary lobes) or 2 (carpels free, placentas marginal), ovary nearly superior to inferior, occasionally more superior in fruit, styles generally 2(3). Fruit: capsule (generally 2(3)-beaked, valves generally 2(3), generally equal) or 2 follicles. Seed: generally many, small.
Genera In Family: +- 30 genera, 600 species: especially northern temperate, arctic, alpine; some cultivated (Bergenia, Darmera, Heuchera, Saxifraga, Tellima, Tolmiea). Note: California Mitella moved to Mitellastra, Ozomelis, Pectiantia; Suksdorfia ranunculifolia to Hemieva. Parnassia moved to Parnassiaceae.
eFlora Treatment Author: Michael S. Park & Patrick E. Elvander, except as noted
Scientific Editor: Bruce G. Baldwin.

Habit: Plant glandular; rhizome scaly; bulblets 0. Leaf: basal and cauline, distal reduced, becoming bract-like; stipules inconspicuous to leaf-like; blade round to ovate, base cordate to reniform, occasionally truncate, obtuse, or tapered, primary lobes 3--many, shallow to deep, teeth sharp-tipped. Inflorescence: +- flat-topped or +- tapered to tip, > 15-flowered, generally 1-sided; bracts sessile to short-petioled, proximal leaf-like. Flower: hypanthium partly fused to ovary; petals often ephemeral; stamens 5; pistil 1, ovary > 1/2-inferior, chambers 2, placentas 2, axile. Fruit: capsule.
Etymology: (S. Boykin, Georgia naturalist, 1786--1848)
Reference: Gornall & Bohm 1985 Bot J Linn Soc 90:1--71