Key to Saxifragaceae

View taxon page for Saxifragaceae

Jepson Manual glossary definitions can be seen by moving your cursor over words underlined with dots.

1. Flower inconspicuous; sepals 4; petals 0; stamens 8 ..... CHRYSOSPLENIUM

1' Flower ± conspicuous; sepals 5; petals generally 5 (rarely 0, 2, or 4); stamens generally 5 or 10 (rarely 3)

2. Flower slightly to strongly 

bilateral 

Divisible into mirror-image halves in only one way.

3. Stamens 3; petals 4; 

hypanthium 

Structure generally in the shape of a tube, cup, or bowl, derived from the fused lower portions of the perianth and stamens, from which these parts seem to arise, and to which the ovary wall is fused in an inferior ovary (to which the ovary wall is partially fused in a half-inferior ovary; from which the ovary is free in a superior ovary).

 open on lower side ..... TOLMIEA

3' Stamens 5, petals 0, 2, or 5; hypanthium open or closed on lower side

4. Petals 2 (alternate upper sepals), 

recurved 

Gradually curved downward or backward.

; hypanthium open on lower side, ± free from ovary ..... BENSONIELLA

4' Petals 0 or 5, not recurved; hypanthium closed on lower side, partly fused to ovary

5. Inflorescence 

bulblets 

1. Small bulb generally produced at the base of a bulb. 2. Any small, bulb-like structure that propagates a plant, often in a leaf or bract axil.

0; petals 0 or not spotted ..... HEUCHERA (2)

5' Proximal flowers replaced by bulblets; some petals ± 2-spotted ..... MICRANTHES (3)

2' Flower ± 

radial 

Divisible into mirror-image halves in three or more ways.

6. Stamens 5

7. Ovary superior – petals triangular, long-tapered; 

caudex 

Generally short, sometimes woody, more or less vertical stem of a perennial, at or beneath ground level.

with bulblets ..... BOLANDRA

7' Ovary generally > 1/2-inferior, at least in flower

8. Leaves 

basal 

At or near the base of a plant or plant part. Especially said of leaves clustered near the ground or of a placenta confined to the base of an ovary.

and cauline; ovary chambers 2, 

placentas 

Structure or area to which ovules are attached in an ovary; variously shaped and positioned.

2, 

axile 

Pertaining to an axis, as of a placenta along the central axis in a compound ovary with more than one chamber.

9. Leaf 

blade 

Expanded portion of a leaf, petal, or other structure, generally flat but sometimes rolled, cylindric, wavy, or cupped.

lobed < 3/4 to base, largest generally >> 4 cm wide; flowers > 15; inflorescence ± flat-topped or ± 

tapered 

Gradually (not abruptly) narrower or smaller at base or tip.

to tip, branches generally > 3, with flowers generally on 1 side ..... BOYKINIA

9' Leaf blade lobed nearly to base, largest 1–4 cm wide; flowers < 15; inflorescence ± flat-topped, branches generally < 3, with flowers on all sides ..... HEMIEVA

8' Leaves generally basal (at most 3 cauline and reduced); ovary chamber 1, placentas 2, 

parietal 

Pertaining to placentas on the inside surface of the ovary wall in a compound ovary with one or more chambers.

10. Inflorescence a 

panicle 

1. In flowering plants excluding Asteraceae, Cyperaceae, Poaceae, and some other groups, a branched inflorescence in which the basal or lateral flowers (or some of them) open before the terminal or central flowers on any axis. 2. In Asteraceae, Cyperaceae, Poaceae, and some other groups, a panicle-like inflorescence is one in which at least some of the inflorescence units (e.g., heads in Asteraceae; spikelets in Cyperaceae and Poaceae), instead of individual flowers, are attached (stalked or unstalked) to branches and not directly to the main axis of the inflorescence and in which floral development may or may not proceed as in 1.

; petals ± 

entire 

Having margins that are continuous and smooth (i.e., without teeth, lobes, etc.).

..... HEUCHERA (2)

10' Inflorescence a 

raceme 

In flowering plants excluding Asteraceae, Cyperaceae, Poaceae, and some other groups, an unbranched inflorescence in which the flowers are borne on pedicels and nearly always open from the bottom to the top of the inflorescence. 2. In Asteraceae, Cyperaceae, Poaceae, and some other groups, a raceme-like inflorescence is one in which the inflorescence units (e.g., heads in Asteraceae; spikelets in Cyperaceae and Poaceae), instead of individual flowers, are stalked and attached directly to the main axis of the inflorescence, not to branches, and in which floral development may or may not proceed as in 1.

(spike); petals lobed

11. Petals generally 3-lobed at tip, 

lobes 

1. A major expansion or bulge, such as on the margin of a leaf, sepal, or petal, or on the surface of an ovary. 2. The free tips of otherwise fused structures, such as sepals or petals; larger than teeth.

narrowly triangular to 

elliptic 

In the shape of a flattened circle or ellipse; wider than linear

; hypanthium widely obconic to bell-shaped ..... OZOMELIS

11' Petals pinnately lobed, lobes 4–10, 

linear 

Elongate, with nearly parallel sides; narrower than elliptic or oblong.

; hypanthium saucer-shaped

12. Cauline leaves 1–3; inflorescence blooming from tip to base; filaments >> anthers, ± 2/3 sepal ..... MITELLASTRA

12' Cauline leaves 0 (occasionally 1); inflorescence blooming from base to tip; filaments (short) < anthers ..... PECTIANTIA

6' Stamens 10

13. Inflorescence appearing before leaves

14. Leaves 

peltate 

With the stalk attached toward the middle, not at a margin, of a flat structure such as an indusium, scale, or leaf.

, generally > 1 dm wide; inflorescence 7–20 dm; flower not heterostylous ..... DARMERA

14' Leaves not peltate, << 1 dm wide; inflorescence < 3 dm; flower heterostylous ..... JEPSONIA

13' Inflorescence not appearing before leaves

15. Pistils 2; fruit follicle ..... MICRANTHES (3)

15' Pistil 1; fruit capsule

16. Ovary chamber 1, placentas parietal

17. Styles 3 ..... LITHOPHRAGMA

17' Styles 2

18. Inflorescence a spike-like raceme; fruit valves equal, narrow; petal lobes ± 5–7, linear ..... TELLIMA

18' Inflorescence a raceme-like panicle; fruit valves unequal, wide; petal lobes 0 ..... TIARELLA

16' Ovary chambers 2, placentas ± axile (rarely distally marginal in ovary lobes)

19. Leaf blade jointed to 

petiole 

Leaf stalk, connecting leaf blade to stem; sometimes more or less indistinct.

and falling before it; styles generally fused at base, at least in flower ..... SAXIFRAGOPSIS

19' Leaf blade not jointed to petiole nor falling before it; styles free throughout

20. Cauline leaves 0 (if present, then all leaves entire); leaves not lobed ..... MICRANTHES (3)

20' Cauline leaves present, sometimes strongly reduced; some leaves lobed

21. Stems trailing; basal leaves 0; cauline leaves evenly spaced along stem; seeds spiny ..... CASCADIA

21' Stems 

erect 

Upright; vertically oriented.

or trailing; basal leaves present or if 0, then cauline leaves mostly near base; seeds finely 

papillate 

Pertaining to a surface (e.g., of a leaf, stigma, fruit) bearing small, rounded or conic protuberances (papillae).

..... SAXIFRAGA

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