Saxifraga howellii
Encyclopedia
Saxifraga howellii is a species of saxifrage known by the common name Howell's saxifrage. It is endemic to the Klamath Mountains
of southern Oregon
and northern California
, where it grows in moist, rocky habitat. It is a perennial herb growing from a caudex
, usually with a rhizome
system. It produces a basal rosette of leaves with rounded or oval blades edged with dull or sharp teeth or scalloping. Each leaf is up to 6 centimeters long, thick and fleshy, and borne on a short petiole
. The inflorescence
arises on an erect peduncle
up to 20 centimeters tall. An array of branches bear several flowers with small white petals.
Klamath Mountains
The Klamath Mountains, which include the Siskiyou, Marble, Scott, Trinity, Trinity Alps, Salmon, and northern Yolla-Bolly Mountains, are a rugged lightly populated mountain range in northwest California and southwest Oregon in the United States...
of southern Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
and northern California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, where it grows in moist, rocky habitat. It is a perennial herb growing from a caudex
Caudex
A caudex is a form of stem morphology appearing as a thickened, short, perennial stem that is either underground or near ground level . It may be swollen for the purpose of water storage, especially in xerophytes...
, usually with a rhizome
Rhizome
In botany and dendrology, a rhizome is a characteristically horizontal stem of a plant that is usually found underground, often sending out roots and shoots from its nodes...
system. It produces a basal rosette of leaves with rounded or oval blades edged with dull or sharp teeth or scalloping. Each leaf is up to 6 centimeters long, thick and fleshy, and borne on a short petiole
Petiole (botany)
In botany, the petiole is the stalk attaching the leaf blade to the stem. The petiole usually has the same internal structure as the stem. Outgrowths appearing on each side of the petiole are called stipules. Leaves lacking a petiole are called sessile, or clasping when they partly surround the...
. The inflorescence
Inflorescence
An inflorescence is a group or cluster of flowers arranged on a stem that is composed of a main branch or a complicated arrangement of branches. Strictly, it is the part of the shoot of seed plants where flowers are formed and which is accordingly modified...
arises on an erect peduncle
Peduncle (botany)
In botany, a peduncle is a stem supporting an inflorescence, or after fecundation, an infructescence.The peduncle is a stem, usually green and without leaves, though sometimes colored or supporting small leaves...
up to 20 centimeters tall. An array of branches bear several flowers with small white petals.