Home/Species/ Yellow Marsh Saxifrage

Saxifraga hirculus

Yellow Marsh Saxifrage

G5Secure Found in 2 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →

G5SecureGlobal Rank

Least concernIUCN

Identity

Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.129802

Element CodePDSAX0U0R0

Record TypeSPECIES

ClassificationSpecies

Classification StatusStandard

Name CategoryVascular Plant

IUCNLeast concern

Endemicoccurs (regularly, as a native taxon) in multiple nations

KingdomPlantae

PhylumAnthophyta

ClassDicotyledoneae

OrderRosales

FamilySaxifragaceae

GenusSaxifraga

Other Common Names

Saxifrage oeil-de-bouc (FR) yellow marsh saxifrage (EN)

Concept Reference

Kartesz, J.T. 1994. A synonymized checklist of the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. 2nd edition. 2 vols. Timber Press, Portland, OR.

Taxonomic Comments

FNA (vol. 8, 2009) does not recognize distinct infraspecies in Saxifraga hirculus.

Conservation Status

Rank MethodExpertise without calculation

Review Date2016-08-16

Change Date1989-12-13

Range Extent Comments

Circumboreal, south from AK to n. B.C., also in Rocky Mtns. of CO and in MT and ID.

Ecology & Habitat

Description

Yellow Marsh Saxifrage is a perennial herb with tufted stems that are 6-20 cm tall and arising from a short rhizome or stolon. The clustered, oblong-linear basal leaves are 15-50 mm long, taper to a petiole, and have entire margins. Alternate stem leaves are smaller and lack petioles. Leaves are glabrous, but the stem has curly reddish hairs above. Solitary flowers occur at the stem tips. Each has 5 separate, spreading to reflexed sepals that are 3-5 mm long with spreading hairs on the margin and 5 yellow, narrowly elliptic petals that are 7-13 mm long. The fruit is a red, 5-lobed capsule that is 9-16 mm high.

Diagnostic Characteristics

SAXIFRAGA CHRYSANTHA and S. FLAGELLARIS are our other yellow-flowered saxifrages; the former has leaves 3-7 mm long, while the latter has long, sinuous stolons.

Other Nations (2)

United StatesNNR

Province	Rank	Native
Montana	S1	Yes
Alaska	SNR	Yes
Colorado	S3	Yes
Utah	S1	Yes

CanadaN4

Province	Rank	Native
Yukon Territory	S4	Yes
Quebec	S3	Yes
Nunavut	S5	Yes
British Columbia	S3	Yes
Ontario	S4	Yes
Northwest Territories	SNR	Yes
Manitoba	S2	Yes

Plant Characteristics

Economic Value (Genus)No

Roadless Areas (2)

Alaska (2)

Area	Forest	Acres
Johnson Pass	Chugach National Forest	152,508
Resurrection	Chugach National Forest	224,615

References (2)

Flora of North America Editorial Committee (FNA). 2009. Flora of North America north of Mexico. Vol. 8. Magnoliophyta: Paeoniaceae to Ericaceae. Oxford University Press, New York. xxiv + 585 pp.
Kartesz, J.T. 1994. A synonymized checklist of the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. 2nd edition. 2 vols. Timber Press, Portland, OR.