Micranthes tolmiei

Tolmie's Saxifrage

Tolmie's Saxifrage
aka Saxifrage tolmiei, Alpine Saxifrage. The whole plant forms a low leafy dense mat with leaves so fleshy it could be confused for a stonecrop (sedum). The dark green cigar-shaped leaves are only1/8″ – 3/8″ (2 – 10 mm) long. The white flowers (1/2″) are beautifully symetrical with five widely spaced petals with five of the ten smaller delicate stamens between each giving the appearance of ten petals. The pronounced center ovary swells and turns reddish after pollination. Usually found in moist talus, rock crevices, along small streams between 5,500′ to 9,000′ elevation.

Family:

Saxifragaceae - SAXIFRAGE FAMILY

Genus:

Micranthes from Greek mikros 'small' and anthos 'flower'

Species:

tolmiei after Dr. William F. Tolmie, Hudson Bay Co. physician, collected plants northwest of the Mountain in 1833.
Photo location: From several locations including First Burroughs Mtn., Paradise Glacier trail and off trail south of Naches Peak and the WLT west of Frozen Lake.