Saxifraga

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Saxifraga
Saxifraga cochlearis1.jpg
Saxifraga cochlearis
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Order: Saxifragales
Family: Saxifragaceae
Genus: Saxifraga
Tourn. ex L. (1753)
Type species
Saxifraga granulata
L.
Sections

See text

Synonyms [1]
Synonyms
  • AdenogynaRaf. (1836), nom. superfl.
  • AntiphyllaHaw. (1821)
  • AphomonixRaf. (1837)
  • BoecherarcticaÁ.Löve (1984)
  • ChondroseaHaw. (1821)
  • CiliariaHaw. (1821)
  • CymbalariellaNappi (1903)
  • DactyloidesNieuwl. (1915), nom. superfl.
  • DipteraBorkh. (1794), nom. superfl.
  • DitriclitaRaf. (1836), nom. nud.
  • EvaiezoaRaf. (1837)
  • GeryoniaSchrank ex Hoppe (1818)
  • GeumMill. (1754), nom. illeg.
  • HirculusHaw. (1821)
  • KingstoniaGray (1821 publ. 1822)
  • LeptaseaHaw. (1821)
  • LigulariaDuval (1809), nom. superfl.
  • LobariaHaw. (1821), nom. illeg.
  • MiscopetalumHaw. (1812)
  • MuscariaHaw. (1821)
  • OreospleniumZahlbr. ex Endl.(1839), pro syn.
  • PonistaRaf. (1837)
  • RobertsoniaHaw. (1812)
  • RupifragaL. ex Raf. (1837), nom. superfl.
  • SaxifragellaEngl. (1891)
  • SekikaMedik. (1791)
  • TridactylitesHaw. (1821)
  • TristyleaJord. & Fourr. (1870)
  • TulorimaRaf. (1837)
  • ZahlbruckneraRchb. (1832)

Saxifraga is the largest genus in the family Saxifragaceae, containing about 473 species of holarctic perennial plants, known as saxifrages [1] [2] or rockfoils. [3] The Latin word saxifraga means literally "stone-breaker", from Latin saxum ("rock" or "stone") + frangere ("to break"). It is usually thought to indicate a medicinal use for treatment of urinary calculi (known as kidney or bladder stones), rather than breaking rocks apart. [2] [4]

Contents

Description

Most saxifrages are small perennial, biennial (e.g. S. adscendens ) or annual (e.g. S. tridactylites ) herbaceous plants whose basal or cauline leaves grow close to the ground, often in a rosette. The leaves typically have a more or less incised margin; they may be succulent, needle-like and/or hairy, reducing evaporation. [5] [6] [7]

The inflorescence or single flower clusters rise above the main plant body on naked stalks. The small actinomorphic hermaphrodite flowers have five petals and sepals and are usually white, but red to yellow in some species. Stamens, usually 10, rarely 8, insert at the junction of the floral tube and ovary wall, with filaments subulate or clavate. As in other primitive eudicots, some of the 5 or 10 stamens may appear petal-like.[ citation needed ] and it lives in tundral ecosystems. [5] [8] [6]

Taxonomy

A genus of about 473 species. [1] The former monotypic genus Saxifragella has been submersed within Saxifraga, the largest genus in Saxifragaceae, as Saxifraga bicuspidata. [9] [5] Also the genus Saxifragopsis (strawberry saxifrage) was previously included in Saxifraga. [10]

Subdivision

Based on morphological criteria, up to 15 sections were recognised. [11] Subsequent molecular phylogenetic studies reduced this to 13 sections with 9 subsections. The former sections Micranthes and Merkianae are more closely related to the Boykinia and Heuchera clades. [12] Modern floras separate these groups as the genus Micranthes . [13] [6]

The thirteen sections (with subsections) are: [14]

Selected species

Formerly placed here

Plants formerly placed in Saxifraga are mainly but not exclusively Saxifragaceae. They include:[ citation needed ]

Other "saxifragous" plants

Several plant genera have names referring to saxifrages, although they might not be close relatives of Saxifraga. They include:[ citation needed ]

Some plants refer to Saxifraga in their generic names or specific epithets, either because they are also "rock-breaking" or because they resemble members of the saxifrage genus:[ citation needed ]

Ecology

Round-leaved saxifrage (S. rotundifolia), whose sticky leaves seem to catch small invertebrates Saxifraga rotundifolia a1.jpg
Round-leaved saxifrage ( S. rotundifolia ), whose sticky leaves seem to catch small invertebrates

Saxifrages are typical inhabitants of Arctic–alpine ecosystems, and are hardly ever found outside the temperate parts of the Northern Hemisphere; most members of this genus are found in subarctic climates. A good number of species grow in glacial habitats, such as S. biflora which can be found some 4,000 m (13,000 ft) above sea level in the Alps, or the East Greenland saxifrage ( S. nathorstii ). The genus is also abundant in the Eastern and Western Himalayan alpine shrub and meadows. Though the archetypal saxifrage is a small plant huddling between rocks high up on a mountain, many species do not occur in such a habitat and are larger (though still rather delicate) plants found on wet meadows.

Various Saxifraga species are used as food plants by the caterpillars of some butterflies and moths, such as the Phoebus Apollo ( Parnassius phoebus ). [18]

Charles Darwin – erroneously believing Saxifraga to be allied to the sundew family (Droseraceae) – suspected the sticky-leaved round-leaved saxifrage ( S. rotundifolia ), rue-leaved saxifrage ( S. tridactylites ) and Pyrenean saxifrage ( S. umbrosa ) to be protocarnivorous plants, and conducted some experiments whose results supported his observations, [19] but the matter has apparently not been studied since his time.

Cultivation

Saxifraga urumoffii at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh. Saxifraga urumoffii, Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, Scotland, GB, IMG 3765 edit.jpg
Saxifraga urumoffii at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh.

Numerous species and cultivars of saxifrage are cultivated as ornamental garden plants, valued particularly as groundcover or as cushion plants in rock gardens and alpine gardens. Many require alkaline or neutral soil to thrive. [7]

S. × urbium (London pride), a hybrid between Pyrenean saxifrage ( S. umbrosa ) and St. Patrick's cabbage ( S. spathularis ), is commonly grown as an ornamental plant. [2] Another horticultural hybrid is Robertsoniana saxifrage ( S. × geum ), derived from kidney saxifrage ( S. hirsuta ) and Pyrenean saxifrage.[ citation needed ] Some wild species are also used in gardening. Cambridge University Botanic Garden hosts the United Kingdom's national collection of saxifrages. [2]

Award of Garden Merit

The following species and cultivars have gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit:- [20]

Uses

The leaves of some saxifrage species, such as creeping saxifrage ( S. stolonifera ) and S. pensylvanica, [51] are edible. The former is a food in Korea [52] and Japan.[ citation needed ] The flowers of purple saxifrage ( S. oppositifolia ) are eaten in Nunavut, Canada and the leaves and stems brewed as a tea. [53]

Species are also used in traditional medicine, such as creeping saxifrage in East Asia [54] and round-leaved saxifrage (S. rotundifolia) in Europe. [55]

Two species—purple saxifrage and creeping saxifrage—are popular floral emblems. They are official flowers for:

Related Research Articles

<i>Delphinium</i> Genus of flowering plants

Delphinium is a genus of about 300 species of annual and perennial flowering plants in the family Ranunculaceae, native throughout the Northern Hemisphere and also on the high mountains of tropical Africa. The genus was erected by Carl Linnaeus.

<i>Hosta</i> Genus of flowering plants in the family Asparagaceae

Hosta is a genus of plants commonly known as hostas, plantain lilies and occasionally by the Japanese name gibōshi. Hostas are widely cultivated as shade-tolerant foliage plants. The genus is currently placed in the family Asparagaceae, subfamily Agavoideae, and is native to northeast Asia. Like many "lilioid monocots", the genus was once classified in the Liliaceae. The genus was named by Austrian botanist Leopold Trattinnick in 1812, in honor of the Austrian botanist Nicholas Thomas Host. In 1817, the generic name Funkia was used by German botanist Kurt Sprengel in honor of Heinrich Christian Funck, a collector of ferns and alpines; this was later used as a common name and can be found in some older literature.

<i>Micranthes stellaris</i> Species of plant

Micranthes stellaris, synonym Saxifraga stellaris, the starry saxifrage or hairy kidney-wort, is an Arctic–alpine species in the family Saxifragaceae. It produces panicles of 5–10 white flowers on a stem up to 20 cm (7.9 in) tall, rising from a basal leaf rosette. One subspecies is found from eastern Canada to Russia, including the British Isles, while another is found in the mountains of southern Europe.

<i>Tiarella</i> Genus of flowering plants in the family Saxifragaceae

Tiarella, the foamflowers, is a genus of flowering plants in the family Saxifragaceae. The generic name Tiarella means "little turban", which suggests the shape of the seed capsules. Worldwide there are seven species, one each in eastern Asia and western North America, plus five species in eastern North America. As of October 2022, the taxonomy of Tiarella in eastern North America is in flux.

<i>Saxifraga paniculata</i> Species of flowering plant

Saxifraga paniculata is an alpine species of flowering plant in the saxifrage family, with native distribution in the temperate northern hemisphere. Common names include alpine saxifrage, encrusted saxifrage, lifelong saxifrage, lime-encrusted saxifrage, livelong saxifrage, white mountain saxifrage, and silver saxifrage.

<i>Saxifraga stolonifera</i> Species of flowering plant

Saxifraga stolonifera is a perennial flowering plant known by several common names, including creeping saxifrage, strawberry saxifrage, creeping rockfoil, Aaron's beard, mother of thousands, roving sailor, and strawberry begonia or strawberry geranium, though it is neither a true begonia nor a geranium; both these latter plants belong to different families.

<i>Saxifraga tridactylites</i> Species of flowering plant

Saxifraga tridactylites, the rue-leaved saxifrage or "nailwort", is a species of plant in the family Saxifragaceae.

<i>Micranthes nivalis</i> Species of flowering plant

Micranthes nivalis is a plant species in the saxifrage family. It is commonly called snow saxifrage or (ambiguously) alpine saxifrage.

<i>Saxifraga granulata</i> Species of flowering plant

Saxifraga granulata, commonly called meadow saxifrage, is a species of flowering plant in the family Saxifragaceae. It is native to Europe and Morocco.

<i>Saxifraga cuneifolia</i> Species of flowering plant

Saxifraga cuneifolia, the lesser Londonpride, shield-leaved saxifrage or spoon-leaved saxifrage, is a herbaceous perennial plant belonging to the Saxifragaceae family.

<i>Micranthes</i> Genus of flowering plants in the family Saxifragaceae

Micranthes is a genus of flowering plants in the saxifrage family. It was formerly included within the genus Saxifraga until recent DNA evidence showed the members of what is now Micranthes are more closely related to Boykinia and Heuchera than to other members of the genus Saxifraga.

<i>Saxifraga fortunei</i> Species of flowering plant

Saxifraga fortunei (齿瓣虎耳草), the fortune saxifrage, is a species of flowering plant in the family Saxifragaceae, native to China, Japan and Korea. Growing to just 40 cm (16 in) tall and broad, it is a shade-loving herbaceous perennial with large round fleshy leaves. Slender branched stalks bear panicles of small white starry flowers in summer. The two lower petals of each bloom are significantly longer than the others. Both the flowers and the leaves are sometimes flushed red or pink.

<i>Saxifraga callosa</i> Species of flowering plant

Saxifraga callosa, the limestone saxifrage, is a species of flowering plant in the family Saxifragaceae, that is native to maritime alpine habitats in Western Europe. Growing to 50 cm (20 in) tall by 100 cm (39 in) broad, it is a clump-forming evergreen perennial with rosettes of narrow grey-green leaves that are coated in lime. The starry, pure white flowers are borne in long panicles in spring.

<i>Saxifraga umbrosa</i> Species of plant in the genus Saxifraga

Saxifraga umbrosa, called true London pride, none-so-pretty, king's feather, kiss-me-quick, leaf of St Patrick, look-up-and-kiss-me, mignonette of the French, Nancy-pretty, prattling Parnell, Pyrenean saxifrage, sailor plant, St Anne's needlework, St Patrick's cabbage, and whimsey, although some of these names may more properly belong to Saxifraga spathularis, or its hybrid with S. spathularis, Saxifraga × urbium, is a species of flowering plant in the family Saxifragaceae. It is native to the Pyrenees, and has been introduced elsewhere in Europe, and to southern Chile. Its cultivar 'Clarence Elliott' has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.

<i>Saxifraga hypnoides</i> Species of plant in the genus Saxifraga

Saxifraga hypnoides, called mossy saxifrage, cut-leaved saxifrage, Dovedale moss, Eve's cushion, Indian moss, lady's cushion, and queen's cushion, is a species of flowering plant in the family Saxifragaceae. It is native to northwestern Europe; Iceland, the Faroe Islands, Norway, Ireland, Great Britain, Belgium, and France, and has been introduced to Czechia, the Eastern Himalayas, and Tibet. In the north of its range a tetraploid form predominates, and in the south a diploid form is more likely to be found.

<i>Saxifraga crustata</i> Species of plant

Saxifraga crustata, the crusted-leaved saxifraga and silver saxifrage, as well as encrusted saxifrage, is an evergreen perennial plant species in the family Saxifragaceae, native to the Eastern Alps. This species was described by Austrian botanist Lorenz Chrysanth von Vest in 1804.

<i>Boykinia richardsonii</i> Species of plant

Boykinia richardsonii is a species of flowering plant in the family Saxifragaceae, endemic to Alaska and the adjacent Canadian territory of Yukon. It is commonly known as Richardson's brookfoam, but has also been called Alaska boykin, bearflower, Richardson's boykin and Richardson's saxifrage. "Bearflower" reflects its popularity with grizzly bears as forage in the summer months when it flowers.

References

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