Micranthes careyana (A. Gray) Small. Section: Micranthes. Common name: Carey Saxifrage. Phenology: May-Jun. Habitat: Moist rock outcrops and cliffs, rocks along seeps or brooks, often under overhangs, often in moist soil at the base of a vertical or overhanging rock outcrop. Distribution: A Southern Appalachian endemic: (s. WV?), e. TN and nw. NC south to sw. NC, ne. GA, se. TN, and ne. AL (Keener et al. 2024).
Origin/Endemic status: Endemic
Taxonomy Comments: Lanning (2009) and Lanning & Mathews (2019) clarified the taxonomy of the M. careyana / caroliniana complex through molecular and morphological study.
Synonymy ⓘ: = FNA8, K4, S, S13, Tn, Va, Brouillet & Gornall (2007), Lanning & Mathews (2019), Tkach, Röser, & Hoffmann (2015); = Saxifraga careyana A.Gray — C, F, G, GW2, RAB, W. Basionym: Saxifraga careyana A.Gray 1842
Links to other floras: = Micranthes careyana - FNA8
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Wetland Indicator Status:
- Eastern Mountains and Piedmont: FAC
Heliophily ⓘ: 1
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© Keith Bradley | Original Image ⭷
© Alan Weakley source | Original Image ⭷
© Alan Weakley source | Original Image ⭷
© Alan Weakley source | Original Image ⭷
© Radford, Ahles and Bell | Original Image ⭷Feedback
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Horticultural Information
Intro: Erect, rosette-forming perennial of moist rock outcrops and cliffs, often under overhangs, often in moist soil at the base of a vertical or overhanging rock outcrop.
Stems: Flowering stems branched above in inflorescence, furry with glandular hairs.
Leaves: Leaves basal, on winged petioles, oval to oblong oval with wedge-shaped base, to 5 in. long, coarsely toothed, fleshy-thick, green above and purple mottled beneath, furry on both surfaces or only beneath.
Inforescence:
Flowers: Flowers in a wide-branching, glandular-furry panicle with some leaf-like bracts; tiny; white; consisting of 5 minute petals, 5 minute and partially fused sepals and 10 stamens.
Fruits: Fruit a 2-parted, oval capsule, with the lobes partially fused and partially separate-spreading apart.
Comments: A southern Appalachian endemic.
Height: 4-15 in.
plant sale text:
bloom table text:
description: Erect, rosette-forming perennial of moist rock outcrops and cliffs, often under overhangs, often in moist soil at the base of a vertical or overhanging rock outcrop.
stems: Flowering stems branched above in inflorescence, furry with glandular hairs.
leaves: Leaves basal, on winged petioles, oval to oblong oval with wedge-shaped base, to 5 in. long, coarsely toothed, fleshy-thick, green above and purple mottled beneath, furry on both surfaces or only beneath.
inflorescence:
flowers: Flowers in a wide-branching, glandular-furry panicle with some leaf-like bracts; tiny; white; consisting of 5 minute petals, 5 minute and partially fused sepals and 10 stamens.
fruits: Fruit a 2-parted, oval capsule, with the lobes partially fused and partially separate-spreading apart.
comments: A southern Appalachian endemic.
cultural notes:
germination code:
native range:
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