Saxifraga parnassifolia

Flora of Chakrata: Saxifraga sp from Budher Caves Road Chakrata: 5 posts by 4 authors. Attachments (14)

Saxifraga sp from Budher Caves Road Chakrata
My id is Saxifraga parnassifolia

This is Saxifraga parnassifolia. In addition to the differences between this and S.moorcroftiana given in ‘Flowers of the Himalaya’, the assorted images of both species posted on this site and my own images of S.moorcroftiana have shown clear differences. S.parnassifolia has more rounded /circular petals with 2 noticeable ‘appendages’ at the base of petals. S.moorcroftiana does not have the appendages but typically markings on the interior of the petals which are narrower, a markedly different shape.
Both species are recorded for this region.  Other than that, I think, given that not only has there been confusion between the two species historically, that has continued to this day, as shown by the postings on this site, quoting what the floras and references have to say is pointless.  I feel I have built up the better understanding – thanks to viewing plants in the wild and the other images seen thanks to eFI. This is superior to pressed specimens alone in herbaria…..

VOF Week: Saxifraga parnassifolia at VOF:
I think this herb is Saxifraga parnassifolia (Family: Saxifragaceae).
Date/Time: 08-08-2012 / 07:30AM
Location: VOF
Habitat: Wild

Yes … We also got this one from Chakrata.

This is Saxifraga parnassifolia. In addition to the differences between this and S.moorcroftiana given in ‘Flowers of the Himalaya’, the assorted images of both species posted on this site and my own images of S.moorcroftiana have shown clear differences.  S.parnassifolia has more rounded /circular petals with 2 noticeable ‘appendages’ at the base of petals. S.moorcroftiana does not have the appendages but typically markings on the interior of the petals which are narrower, a markedly different shape.
Both species are recorded for this region.  Other than that, I think, given that not only has there been confusion between the two species historically, that has continued to this day, as shown by the postings on this site, quoting what the floras and references have to say is pointless.  I feel I have built up the better understanding – thanks to viewing plants in the wild and the other images seen thanks to eFI.  This is superior to pressed specimens alone in herbaria…..

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VoF Week : Saxifraga brachypoda:
Saxifraga brachypoda of Saxifragaceae family
Valley of Flowers National Park
14th August 2012

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I think this could be Saxifraga parnassifolia.

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yes …, Makes sense….I am sorry for wrongly posting it.

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I think yes. Ignore/crop twig on the right which may cause confusion. Better photos at efi thread.

No, …

Wall. in Sternb. Saxifrag. Suppl, t. 22 ; flowers corymbose rarely 3-2, sepals ovate-oblong small, cauline leaves sessile often cordate and amplexicaul, radical leaves long-petioled often large. Wall. Cat. 452 ; DC. Prodr. iv. 44 ; Hook. Lond. Journ. Bot. iv. t. 21 ; H. f. & T. in Journ. Linn. Soc. ii. 70 ; Engler Monog. Saxifrag. 125. S. parnassifolia, Wall. Cat. 451, partly ; Don in Trans. Linn. Soc. xiii. 405 ; DC. Prodr. iv. 25 ; Sternb. Saxifrag. Suppl, t. 25. S. Moorcroftiana, Wall. Cat. 453 ; Sternb. Saxifrag. Suppl, t. 24. S. lysimachoides, Klotzsch in. Reis. Pr. Waldem. Bot. t. 42.
Alpine Himalaya ; from KASHMIR to BHOTAN, alt. 9000-17,000 ft., abundant.
Stems 8-18 in. high, leafy, glandular, often finally glabrous. Radical leaves long-petioled, narrowed into the petiole or (var. parnassifolia) ovate, subcordate ; cauline 1/2-2 in., ovate or broad oblong. Sepals at length reflexed. Petals with 4 stalked glands at their base, 1.1/2—2 times the sepals. Styles very short. Capsule ovate-oblong. Seeds angular, testa smooth, somewhat plaited.

Here is what Flora of China says:
Saxifraga diversifolia:
Herbs perennial, 16-43 cm tall. Stem proximally brown crisped villous or glabrous, distally shortly glandular hairy. Basal leaves with petiole 3-9 cm, abaxially and marginally brown villous; leaf blade ovate-cordate to narrowly ovate, 1.5-5 × 1.2-2.6 cm, abaxially and marginally brown pubescent, adaxially glabrous or brown pilose near base, base cordate, apex acute. Cauline leaves 8-12; petiole 0.5-4 cm, brown crisped villous; leaf blade subcordate or ovate-cordate to narrowly ovate, 1-6.3 × 0.4-4 cm, base cordate or subcordate, apex obtuse or acute; proximal leaf blades larger, abaxially and marginally brown pilose or glandular pilose, adaxially glabrous or subglabrous; distal leaf blades smaller, usually glabrous on both surfaces, glandular hairy at margin. Cyme corymbose, 3-14 cm, 5-17-flowered; pedicels 6-12 mm, glandular hairy. Sepals reflexed, narrowly to broadly ovate, 3-4.2 × 1.3-3.5 mm, abaxially glandular hairy or glabrous on both surfaces, veins 3(-5), not or partly confluent at apex, margin membranous, glandular ciliate, apex obtuse or acute, rarely erose. Petals yellow, elliptic, obovate, or ovate to narrowly so, rarely oblong, 5-8 × 2-5 mm, usually not callose, rarely 4-6-callose, (3-)5-7(-9)-veined, base narrowed into a claw 0.5-1.3 mm, apex obtuse. Stamens 4-5.6 mm. Ovary subsuperior, ovoid, 3-4.2 mm; styles 1-1.6 mm. Fl. and fr. Aug-Oct. 2n = 16, (?20).

Forests, forest margins, scrub, alpine meadows, rock crevices; 2700-4300 m. W Sichuan, SE Xizang, N Yunnan [Bhutan, Kashmir, Myanmar, Nepal, Sikkim].

Saxifraga diversifolia is extremely polymorphic. Many of the variants have been published as species, which are accepted as such in the present account because a very narrow species concept has been adopted in classifying the variation. However, many botanists would prefer to see rather more “lumping,” and comments relating to how this might be done are made in relevant places.

Saxifraga parnassiifolia D. Don:
Saxifraga diversifolia Wallich ex Seringe var. parnassiifolia (D. Don) Seringe;
Herbs perennial, cespitose, 11.5-24 cm tall. Stem branched, densely brown crisped glandular villous. Basal leaves with petiole 1.3-2.7 cm, crisped glandular villous; leaf blade cordate-ovate, 1.5-4 × 1.3-3 cm, crisped villous on both surfaces and at margin or glabrous adaxially, base cordate, apex acute. Cauline leaves 6 or 7, sessile, ovate to cordate, 0.9-3.5 × 0.5-2.3 cm, base cordate, semiamplexicaul, apex obtuse or acute; proximal leaves glandular villous on both surfaces and at margin or glabrous adaxially; distal leaves shortly glandular hairy on both surfaces, margin shortly glandular hairy and glandular villous. Pleiochasium 2-2.5 cm, 6-11-flowered; pedicels shortly glandular hairy. Sepals erect to spreading, ovate to broadly so, 3-4 × 1.5-2.9 mm, shortly brown glandular hairy abaxially, adaxially distally, and at margin and apex, veins 5-7, confluent into a verruca at apex. Petals yellow, obovate to broadly ovate, 5-7.9 × 3.5-4 mm, subcolumnar 4-6-callose, not or indistinctly 2- or 3-callose, 5-7-veined, base contracted into a claw 0.6-1.7 mm, apex obtuse. Stamens 2.5-4 mm. Ovary subsuperior, ovoid, 1.6-2.5 mm; styles 1-2 mm. Fl. Jul-Sep. 2n = 16.

Abies forest margins, slopes; 2700-4000 m. S Xizang (Nyalam Xian, Zayü Xian) [Bhutan, India, Nepal, Sikkim].

Saxifraga parnassiifolia var. obscuricallosa, which was accepted in FRPS, cannot be distinguished reliably because of intermediates.

Can anyone solve this mystery or give clear cut and verifiable keys between the two?

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Saxifraga parnassifolia D.Don: 6 very high res. images.

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