Saxifraga sibirica L.

Ghazanfar, S. A. & Edmondson, J. R (Eds). (2014) Flora of Iraq, Volume 5 Part 2: Lythraceae to Campanulaceae.

Morphology General Habit

Perennial herb, (5–)8–15(–25) cm, stems solitary to caespitose, vegetative parts glabrous to ± densely glandular-pilose

Morphology Stem

Base of stem and upper part of rootstock with numerous roundish to ovoid bulbils which are clad in sparsely long-hairy to densely villous scales, globular and frequently naked bulbils also usually present on the fibrous roots

Morphology Leaves

Basal leaves reniform, cordate at the base, 5–7(–9)-lobed with obtuse or bluntly mucronate, ovate or subrotund segments which are usually ± constricted below, lamina 10–30 × 8–40 mm, petioles long and slender, up to 6 cm; stem leaves becoming less and more narrowly divided, passing into the entire bracts, uppermost only shortly petiolate; tannin-filled epidermal cells absent

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers solitary or in few-flowered (rarely more than 7) cymes; peduncles long, ascending or flexuous, up to 2.5 cm, ± glabrous to densely glandular-pilose

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Sepals linear-oblong, ± glabrous or ± glandular-pilose, 3–4 mm, rounded; receptacle almost flat

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Petals white, oblong-obovate, 7–16 × 4–6 mm, cuneate below

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens

Stamens about one-third as long as petals or a little more

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Carpels

Carpels free in upper one-third, abruptly narrowed to the short styles, ovary practically entirely superior; stigmas pale, shortly papillose

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Capsule oblong, 6–9 × 3–4 mm, clasped by the erect, persistent sepals, with a raised vein joining the divaricate styles, with or without more slender transverse veins below

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds linear-oblong, blackish brown, verruculose-papillose.

Ecology

Among rocks by spring, damp scree below snow, alpine meadow, under rocks in wet places; alt. 2800–3350 m

Phenology

Jul.-Sep.

Distribution

Rare and very local in the alpine zone of NE Iraq. Turkey, Russia, W Iran, E Afghanistan, Pakistan, C Asia, China.

Note

I (Townsend) have been unable to separate S. mollis from S. sibirica on the characters given in Fl. URSS. The petals of S. sibirica are always basically 3-veined from the base, but the lateral veins may or may not divide; I have seen plants with petals 3-veined above from arctic Russia and the Himalayas, and plants with 5-veined petals from Samos and Turkey. Similarly, petal size is very variable in the species, though I have not seen petals as large as 20 mm, the upper limit claimed for S. mollis by Lozina- Lozinskaya.