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Micranthes occidentalis

(S. Wats.) Small

Western Saxifrage

G5Secure Found in 15 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →
G5SecureGlobal Rank
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.130754
Element CodePDSAX0U170
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVascular Plant
Endemicoccurs (regularly, as a native taxon) in multiple nations
KingdomPlantae
PhylumAnthophyta
ClassDicotyledoneae
OrderRosales
FamilySaxifragaceae
GenusMicranthes
Synonyms
Saxifraga occidentalisS. Wats.
Other Common Names
Alberta Saxifrage (EN) Alberta saxifrage (EN) Saxifrage de l'Ouest (FR)
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) transfers Saxifraga occidentalis to Micranthes occidentalis.
Conservation Status
Rank MethodExpertise without calculation
Review Date2015-08-04
Change Date1988-11-18
Ecology & Habitat

Habitat

This species is found in moist to dry alpine meadows, wet, gravelly or rocky slopes, and flushes,at elevations ranging from 500 to 4,000 meters (Brouillet and Elvander, 2020).
Terrestrial Habitats
Grassland/herbaceousAlpine
Other Nations (2)
United StatesNNR
ProvinceRankNative
IdahoSNRYes
OregonSNRYes
WyomingS3Yes
AlaskaS1Yes
MontanaS4Yes
WashingtonSNRYes
New MexicoSNRYes
ColoradoSNRYes
South DakotaS1Yes
CanadaN5
ProvinceRankNative
AlbertaS3Yes
SaskatchewanS1Yes
British ColumbiaS5Yes
Plant Characteristics
Economic Value (Genus)No
Roadless Areas (15)
Idaho (2)
AreaForestAcres
Pioneer MountainsSawtooth National Forest119,563
Pioneer MountainsSalmon-Challis National Forest172,460
Montana (8)
AreaForestAcres
Crazy MountainGallatin National Forest82,093
East PioneerBeaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest145,082
Lolo CreekLolo National Forest14,335
QuiggLolo National Forest67,267
Silver KingBeaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest64,289
Ten Lakes #683Kootenai National Forest48,545
Trout CreekKootenai National Forest30,851
West PioneerBeaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest248,631
Oregon (4)
AreaForestAcres
ElkhornWillamette National Forest9,380
Imnaha FaceWallowa-Whitman National Forest29,575
Middle SantiamWillamette National Forest7,316
Opal CreekWillamette National Forest5,417
Washington (1)
AreaForestAcres
Mt. Baker MaMt Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest24,847
References (5)
  1. Brouillet, L. and P.E. Elvander. 2020. Flora of North America. <i>Micranthes occidentalis</i>. Accessed: September 15, 2022. http://floranorthamerica.org/Micranthes_occidentalis
  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.
  3. 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.
  4. Stubbs, R.L., D.E. Soltis, and N. Cellinese. 2018. The future of cold- adapted plants in changing climates: Micranthes (Saxifragaceae) as a case study. Ecology and Evolution 8:7164-7177.
  5. Stubbs, R.L., R.A. Folk, D.E. Soltis, and N. Cellinese. 2020. Diversification in the Arctic: Biogeography and Systematics of the North American Micranthes (Saxifragaceae). Systematic Botany 45(4): 802-811.