Scientific Family
Saxifragaceae
Plant type
Forbs and Subshrubs
Origin
Native
Lifecycle
Perennial
Height
8 to 26 inches
Riparian
No
Small distinctive plant, with slender, leafless flower stalks rising above a cluster of bright green basal leaves which have scalloped or irregularly toothed edges; tiny cup-shaped, greenish, yellowish to white flowers.
Perennial, leaves rounded, basal, long-stemmed; flower stems glandular, elongated, short-branched; sepals triangular; flowers greenish, yellowish to white, petals surpass the sepals, pistils and stamens shorter that the sepals.
Habitat
Rock outcrops in valleys, foothills, and mountain canyon walls.
Plant Community
Montane Conifer Forest
Interior Chaparral
Low elevation
5400
High elevation
11500
Flower Characteristics
Dense, elongated cluster flower head, becomes more spread out in fruiting stage; greenish, yellowish flowers are tiny, less than 1/5 inch and on a symmetrical cup-like base, 5 white petals, 5 green sepals, 5 yellow stamens.
Flower color
Greenish, yellowish, white
Flower shape
Regular
Tubular
No
First bloom month
May
Last bloom month
September
Flower clusters
Elongated
Leaf and Stem Characteristics
Leaf stalks and (occasionally) leaf surfaces have a covering of short, glandular, head-shaped hairs; stemless leaves 1 to 3 inches are approximately as broad as they are long; divided into 5 or 7 shallow or deep lobes.
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf color
Green
Leaf shape
Round or oval
Leaf margin
Lobed
Leaves clasp
No
Leaf hairs
Leaves & stems
Spines
No
Fruit and Seed Characteristics
Capsules egg-shaped or almost round, 1/8 to 1/4 inch.
Fruit type
Capsule
Fruit color
Dark brown
Dark brown, egg-shaped but tapered at the ends; less than 1/16 inch long.