Saxifraga hirculus var. alpina Engl., Monogr. Saxifraga: 124 (1872) (syn: Hirculus ranunculoides subsp. alpina (Engler) Á. Löve; Saxifraga gyacaensis subsp. alpina (Engl.) D. Podlech; Saxifraga hirculus subsp. alpina (Engl.) A. Löve; Saxifraga hirculus subsp. compacta K. O. Hedberg; Saxifraga hirculus f. elata Engl. & Irmsch.; Saxifraga hirculus var. humilis (Engl. & Irmsch.) H. Chuang; Saxifraga hirculus f. humilis Engl. & Irmsch.);
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Svalbard, Siberia, Tibet, Afghanistan (Badakshan, Wakhan), Pakistan (Chitral), Pakistani Kashmir (Hunza, Deosai, Baltistan), Jammu & Kashmir (Nubra, Ladakh, Zanskar, Kashmir), Alaska, Canada (Yukon), Greenland as per CoL;
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saxifrage sp?: 1 high res. image.
Any idea of species?
Ladakh Warila 4500-5000m June
Saxifraga hirculus L. Syn: Saxifraga prorepens Fisch. ex Sternb
Most likely it is Saxifraga prorepens (=S. hirculus var. alpina).
This looks like a compact form of Saxifraga hirculus to me, why are you thinking it’s not S.hirculus.
In broad sense, it is S. hirculus only. However, it has at least three varieties in NW Himalaya. Dvorsky et al in Flora of Ladakh have described variety alpina under S. prorepens Fisch. ex Sternb.
in my opinion this plant belongs to the group of Saxifraga hirculus s. lat., though I am not sure if this name is applicable to W Himalayan populations. Synonyms could be either Saxifraga hirculus var. alpina, or maybe Saxifraga prorepens. But on the whole I am afraid it is not satisfactorily resolved yet.
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References:
Catalogue of Life POWO Flora of China FOC illustration Flora of Pakistan FOP illustration
