Micranthes nidifica
in N. L. Britton et al., N. Amer. Fl. 22: 134. 1905,.
Plants solitary or in clumps, with bulbils on caudices. Leaves basal; petiole flattened, 1.5–5.5 cm; blade ± ovate to elliptic, 3–6(–7.5) cm, fleshy, base attenuate, margins entire or minutely denticulate, ciliate, surfaces glabrate to sparsely hairy. Inflorescences 30+-flowered, lax, cylindric thyrses with 3–10, ± compact cymules, 10–30 cm, ± densely pink- to purple-tipped stipitate-glandular. Flowers: sepals strongly reflexed, broadly ovate to deltate; petals white to greenish white, not spotted, usually elliptic to obovate, clawed, 1–1.9 mm, equaling or shorter than sepals; filaments linear, flattened; pistils connate to 1/2 their lengths; ovary 1/2+ inferior. Capsules green or reddish purple, folliclelike. 2n = 38.
Phenology: Flowering spring–summer.
Habitat: Open meadows, shrub-lands, gravelly slopes, edges of and open pine forests
Elevation: 100-2600 m
Distribution
B.C., Calif., Idaho, Mont., Nev., Oreg., Utah, Wash., Wyo.
Discussion
Micranthes nidifica is polymorphic and merges to some extent with M. fragosa in limited areas of southern Washington and northern Oregon.
Selected References
None.