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.
Type species
Saxifraga granulata
L.
Sections

See text

Synonyms   [1]

Boecherarctica Á.Löve
CascadiaA.M.Johnson
MicranthesHaw.
ZahlbruckneraRchb.

Contents

Saxifraga is the largest genus in the family Saxifragaceae, containing about 465 species of holarctic perennial plants, known as saxifrages [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]

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 465 species. 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. [1]

Subdivision

Based on morphological criteria, up to 15 sections were recognised. [10] 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. [11] Modern floras separate these groups as the genus Micranthes . [12] [6]

The thirteen sections (with subsections) are: [13]

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 ). [17]

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, [18] 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:- [19]

Uses

The leaves of some saxifrage species, such as creeping saxifrage ( S. stolonifera ) and S. pensylvanica, [50] are edible. The former is a food in Korea [51] 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. [52]

Species are also used in traditional medicine, such as creeping saxifrage in East Asia [53] and round-leaved saxifrage (S. rotundifolia) in Europe. [54]

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

Related Research Articles

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

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<i>Saxifraga <span style="font-style:normal;">×</span> urbium</i> Species of flowering plant

Saxifraga × urbium, London pride, is an evergreen perennial garden flowering plant. Alternative names for it include St. Patrick's cabbage, whimsey, prattling Parnell, and look up and kiss me. Before 1700 the “London pride” appellation was given to the Sweet William.

<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>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.

<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>Saxifraga spathularis</i> Species of saxifrage

Saxifraga spathularis, the St Patrick's cabbage, is a species of saxifrage native to Ireland, Portugal, and Spain. It is a member of the so-called Lusitanian flora, a small set of plants which are native to Ireland but inexplicably absent from Great Britain. It consists of a basal rosette of elongate obovate succulent leaves around an upright leafless flowering stem. It seems to grow best in humus-rich alpine habitats among acidic rocks. With Saxifraga umbrosa it is a parent of Saxifraga × urbium.

<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>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

  1. 1 2 "Saxifraga L." Germplasm Resources Information Network . United States Department of Agriculture. February 9, 2005. Retrieved January 20, 2009.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "Saxifraga". National Plant Collections. Cambridge University Botanic Garden . Retrieved October 3, 2011.
  3. ↑ Roger Spencer, ed. Horticultural Flora of South-Eastern Australia. UNSW Press, 2002. p. 81. ISBN   9780868401676
  4. ↑ D. A. Webb & R. J. Gornall (1989). Saxifrages of Europe. Christopher Helm. p. 19. ISBN   0-7470-3407-9.
  5. 1 2 3 Gornall 2011.
  6. 1 2 3 Brouillet & Elvander 2008.
  7. 1 2 RHS A-Z encyclopedia of garden plants. United Kingdom: Dorling Kindersley. 2008. p. 1136. ISBN   978-1405332965.
  8. ↑ Jintang et al 2004.
  9. ↑ Deng et al 2015.
  10. ↑ Gornall 1987.
  11. ↑ Soltis et al 1996.
  12. ↑ Flora of China
  13. ↑ Tkach et al 2015.
  14. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 Umberto Quattrocchi. CRC World Dictionary of Plant Names: Common Names, Scientific Names, Eponyms. Synonyms, and Etymology. CRC Press, 1999. p.2395-2396. ISBN   9780849326738
  15. ↑ Knaben, G. (1934). "Saxifraga osloensis n. sp., a tetraploid species of the Tridactylites section". Nytt Magasin for Botanikk: 117–138.
  16. ↑ Reader's Digest Nature Lover's Library Wild Flowers of Britain, page 192, published 1988
  17. ↑ Ivo Novák (1980). A Field Guide in Colour to Butterflies and Moths. Octopus Books. ISBN   0-7064-1293-1.
  18. ↑ Charles Darwin (1875). "Drosophyllum – Roridula – Byblis – glandular hairs of other plants – concluding remarks on the Droseraceae". Insectivorous Plants (1st ed.). London: J. Murray. pp.  332–367.
  19. ↑ "AGM Plants - Ornamental" (PDF). Royal Horticultural Society. July 2017. p. 95. Retrieved 1 November 2018.
  20. ↑ "RHS Plantfinder - Saxifraga 'Angelina Johnson'" . Retrieved 1 November 2018.
  21. ↑ "RHS Plantfinder - Saxifraga 'Blackberry and Apple Pie'" . Retrieved 1 November 2018.
  22. ↑ "RHS Plant Selector - Saxifraga callosa" . Retrieved 5 March 2021.
  23. ↑ "RHS Plantfinder - Saxifraga 'Conwy Snow'" . Retrieved 1 November 2018.
  24. ↑ "RHS Plantfinder - Saxifraga 'Coolock Kate'" . Retrieved 1 November 2018.
  25. ↑ "RHS Plantfinder - Saxifraga 'Cumulus'" . Retrieved 1 November 2018.
  26. ↑ "RHS Plant Selector - Saxifraga fortunei" . Retrieved 5 March 2021.
  27. ↑ "RHS Plantfinder - Saxifraga 'Gregor Mendel' (× fortunei)" . Retrieved 1 November 2018.
  28. ↑ "RHS Plantfinder - Saxifraga 'Lagraveana'" . Retrieved 1 November 2018.
  29. ↑ "RHS Plant Selector - Saxifraga 'Lutea'" . Retrieved 2 June 2013.
  30. ↑ "RHS Plant Selector - Saxifraga 'Minor'" . Retrieved 5 March 2021.
  31. ↑ "RHS Plantfinder - Saxifraga 'Moe'" . Retrieved 1 November 2018.
  32. ↑ "RHS Plantfinder - Saxifraga 'Monarch'" . Retrieved 1 November 2018.
  33. ↑ "RHS Plantfinder - Saxifraga 'Mount Nachi'" . Retrieved 1 November 2018.
  34. ↑ "RHS Plantfinder - Saxifraga 'Peach Melba'" . Retrieved 1 November 2018.
  35. ↑ "RHS Plantfinder - Saxifraga (Silver Farreri Group) 'Reginald Farrer'" . Retrieved 1 November 2018.
  36. ↑ "RHS Plantfinder - Saxifraga 'Rokujo' (fortunei)" . Retrieved 1 November 2018.
  37. ↑ "RHS Plant Selector - Saxifraga 'Rosea'" . Retrieved 5 March 2021.
  38. ↑ "RHS Plantfinder - Saxifraga 'Shiranami'" . Retrieved 1 November 2018.
  39. ↑ "RHS Plantfinder - Saxifraga (Southside Seedling Group) 'Slack's Ruby Southside'" . Retrieved 1 November 2018.
  40. ↑ "RHS Plantfinder - Saxifraga (Silver Farreri Group) 'Snowflake'" . Retrieved 1 November 2018.
  41. ↑ "RHS Plantfinder - (Southside seedling Group) 'Southside Star'" . Retrieved 1 November 2018.
  42. ↑ "RHS Plant Selector - Saxifraga stolonifera" . Retrieved 5 March 2021.
  43. ↑ "RHS Plantfinder - Saxifraga 'Sue Drew'" . Retrieved 1 November 2018.
  44. ↑ "RHS Plantfinder - SaxifragaSugar Plum Fairy='Toujya'" . Retrieved 1 November 2018.
  45. ↑ "RHS Plant Selector - Saxifraga 'Theoden'" . Retrieved 5 March 2021.
  46. ↑ "RHS Plant Selector - Saxifraga 'Tumbling Waters'" . Retrieved 5 March 2021.
  47. ↑ "RHS Plant Selector - Saxifraga × urbium" . Retrieved 8 March 2021.
  48. ↑ "RHS Plantfinder - Saxifraga 'Venetia' (paniculata)" . Retrieved 1 November 2018.
  49. ↑ "RHS Plantfinder - Saxifraga 'Whitehill'" . Retrieved 1 November 2018.
  50. ↑ Niering, William A.; Olmstead, Nancy C. (1985) [1979]. The Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Wildflowers, Eastern Region. Knopf. p. 780. ISBN   0-394-50432-1.
  51. ↑ Chon, Sang-Uk; Heo, Buk-Gu; Park, Yong-Seo; Cho, Ja-Yong; Gorinstein, Shela (2008). "Characteristics of the leaf parts of some traditional Korean salad plants used for food". Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture. 88 (11): 1963–1968. doi:10.1002/jsfa.3304. ISSN   1097-0010.
  52. ↑ Official Flower of Nunavut, Nunavut, Canada
  53. ↑ Ji-xian Guo, Ki Sung Chung, Paul Pui-hay But, Takeatsu Kimura (1996). International Collation Of Traditional And Folk Medicine, Vol 2: Northeast Asia Part 2. World Scientific Publishing Company. p. 65.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  54. ↑ Pieroni, Andrea; Quave, Cassandra L., eds. (2014). Ethnobotany and Biocultural Diversities in the Balkans. New York: Springer.
  55. ↑ "The Official Flower of Nunavut: Purple Saxifrage". Legislative Assembly of Nunavut. 2011. Retrieved July 31, 2011.
  56. ↑ County flowers in Britain Archived 14 February 2006 at the Wayback Machine www.plantlife.org.uk
  57. ↑ "City flower, bird and tree" (in Japanese). City of Tsukuba. Retrieved 17 June 2021.

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