Saxifraga rivularis
Encyclopedia
Saxifraga rivularis is a species of saxifrage known by several common names, including alpine brook saxifrage, pygmy saxifrage, and weak saxifrage.
distribution, occurring throughout the Arctic
and into the alpine climate
s of mountainous temperate areas, such as the Sierra Nevada in California
. It can be found in moist and wet, rocky habitat, in substrates rich in nitrogen
and organic material, such as bird rocks
and moss
y peat
flats.
arises on a hairy, erect peduncle
bearing white-petaled flowers and reproductive bulb
ils.
Distribution
Saxifraga rivularis is native to the northern parts of the Northern Hemisphere, where it has a CircumpolarArctic Circle
The Arctic Circle is one of the five major circles of latitude that mark maps of the Earth. For Epoch 2011, it is the parallel of latitude that runs north of the Equator....
distribution, occurring throughout the Arctic
Arctic
The Arctic is a region located at the northern-most part of the Earth. The Arctic consists of the Arctic Ocean and parts of Canada, Russia, Greenland, the United States, Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Iceland. The Arctic region consists of a vast, ice-covered ocean, surrounded by treeless permafrost...
and into the alpine climate
Alpine climate
Alpine climate is the average weather for a region above the tree line. This climate is also referred to as mountain climate or highland climate....
s of mountainous temperate areas, such as the Sierra Nevada in 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...
. It can be found in moist and wet, rocky habitat, in substrates rich in nitrogen
Nitrogen
Nitrogen is a chemical element that has the symbol N, atomic number of 7 and atomic mass 14.00674 u. Elemental nitrogen is a colorless, odorless, tasteless, and mostly inert diatomic gas at standard conditions, constituting 78.08% by volume of Earth's atmosphere...
and organic material, such as bird rocks
Communal roosting
Communal roosting is practiced by birds when large flocks or colonies roost together usually in trees with several hundred on each.Several communal roosting trees can be located within densely populated cities nowadays where common birds like house sparrows and starlings etc...
and moss
Moss
Mosses are small, soft plants that are typically 1–10 cm tall, though some species are much larger. They commonly grow close together in clumps or mats in damp or shady locations. They do not have flowers or seeds, and their simple leaves cover the thin wiry stems...
y peat
Peat
Peat is an accumulation of partially decayed vegetation matter or histosol. Peat forms in wetland bogs, moors, muskegs, pocosins, mires, and peat swamp forests. Peat is harvested as an important source of fuel in certain parts of the world...
flats.
Description
Saxifraga rivularis is a small perennial herb growing not much more than 12 centimeters in maximum height. It has small, lobed leaves at the base and along the stem. The inflorescenceInflorescence
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 a hairy, 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...
bearing white-petaled flowers and reproductive bulb
Bulb
A bulb is a short stem with fleshy leaves or leaf bases. The leaves often function as food storage organs during dormancy.A bulb's leaf bases, known as scales, generally do not support leaves, but contain food reserves to enable the plant to survive adverse conditions. At the center of the bulb is...
ils.