Saxifraga

Saxifraga sempervivum

Saxifrage ( Saxifraga ) is a genus of flowering plants in the family Saxifragaceae ( Saxifragaceae ). The genus includes about 450-480 species that are very difficult to distinguish in some cases.

Name

The botanical genus name is derived from Saxifraga saxum = stone and frangere = break.

The German name is literally translated from the Latin. The name of the genus comes to Pliny the Elder back ( quia saxa frangit = because he breaks the rock ). From growing area in crevices was incorrectly closed on rock blasting by the plant.

Another interpretation of the name is the fact that according to the doctrine of signatures, the plant was used as a remedy for kidney and gall stone. Other similar name interpretation: saxifrage originally refers to the nodule - saxifrage ( Saxifraga granulata ), the herb and flower the small, hard bulbils were ( also due to the medieval doctrine of signatures ) is used as a remedy for bladder stones.

So back to the 15th century following saying: "If you nimt of Wort root in wine, so they pricht the stain in the platern ( = urinary bladder ) ."

Description

Saxifrage species are rarely one-to two -year, mostly perennial herbaceous plants. Often there are leaf succulents, many grow as cushion plants, many species form evergreen basal rosettes and many species are summer- green with leaves that are distributed on the stem. The mostly alternate, stalked or sessile leaves are simple. Leaf margin lobed or toothed. Stipules absent.

Most in paniculate, racemose or zymösen inflorescences few stand together to many flowers. The usually hermaphroditic, usually with radial symmetry, very rarely zygomorphic flowers are usually fünfzählig. There are usually five (rarely four, seven or eight) sepals present; they have grown more than at its base. The most five (rarely four) free petals are white, yellow to orange or red to purple. There are two circles, each with five (rarely four) free stamens present. The two under constant to mostly upper permanent carpels are partially fused, with free and apart ends facing. Pollination is mostly by insects.

There are fruit capsules formed containing many seeds.

Dissemination

Saxifrage is mostly native to the temperate and cold climates. In the Alps, about 40 species occur.

Some species can thrive in extreme altitudes even more. How to Hold the Gegenblättrige saxifrage ( Saxifraga oppositifolia ) the current altitude record in the Alps with 4507 meters at the cathedral in the Valais.

Use

Some saxifrage species and their varieties are also ornamental plants for gardens and parks and can be used as a ground cover and in the rock garden.

Some types of the green plant parts are eaten raw or cooked. They are a good source of vitamin C. Some species are used medicinally.

System

The genus is divided into 12 sections and has about 450-560 species:

• Saxifraga sect. Ciliatae Haw. With about 220 species, for example: Bog saxifrage ( Saxifraga hirculus L.)
• Saxifraga flagellaris Sternb. & Willd., Arrives in Europe only on Spitsbergen ago

• Saxifraga sect. Cymbalaria Griseb. With four ways: Zimbelkraut - saxifrage ( Saxifraga cymbalaria L.)
• Saxifraga hederacea L., arrives in Europe in Italy, Sicily, on the Balkan peninsula and the Aegean ago
• Saxifraga hederifolia Hochst. ex A.Rich, home. Ethiopia
• . Saxifraga sibthorpii Boiss, Origin: Greece, southwest Anatolia

• Saxifraga daqiaoensis F.G.Wang & F.W.Xing
• Saxifraga epiphylla Gornall & H.Ohba
• Saxifraga fortunei Hook.f.
• Saxifraga imparilis Balf.f.
• Saxifraga jingdonensis H.Chuang
• Saxifraga kwangsiensis Chun & How to CZGao & GZLi
• Saxifraga mengtzeana Engl & Irmsch.
• Saxifraga nipponica Makino
• Saxifraga rufescens Balf.f.
• Saxifraga sendaica Maxim.
• Saxifraga serotina Sipliv.
• Saxifraga sichotensis Gorovoj & N.S.Pavlova
• Creeping saxifrage or Jews Beard ( Saxifraga stolonifera Curt. ), Origin: from the Himalayas to Japan, in Switzerland and in Italy places naturalized

• Saxifraga sect. Heterisia ( AMJohnson ) Small: The only kind:. Saxifraga mertensiana Bong, Origin: Alaska, Canada and USA

• Saxifraga sect. Porphyrion exchange: With about 110 species, for example: Fettenhennen Saxifrage or brook saxifrage ( Saxifraga aizoides L.)
• Saxifraga aretioides Lapeyr, home. Pyrenees
• Zweiblütiger saxifrage ( Saxifraga biflora All. )
• Bursers saxifrage ( Saxifraga burseriana L.)
• Blue-green saxifrage ( Saxifraga caesia L.)
• Padding - saxifrage ( Saxifraga diapensioides Bellardi )
• . Saxifraga federici - augusti Biasol, Origin: Balkan Peninsula
• . Saxifraga ferdinandi - coburgi J. Kellerer & sin, Origin: Bulgaria and Greece
• Saxifraga juniperifolia Adams, arrives in Europe only in Bulgaria before
• Saxifraga luteoviridis Schott & Kotschy (syn.: S. corymbosa Boiss. ), Origin: Asia Minor, the Balkan Peninsula, Romania and Ukraine
• Saxifraga marginata Sternb, home. Balkan Peninsula, Italy, Romania
• Saxifraga media Gouan, Origin: Pyrenees
• Gravel - saxifrage ( Saxifraga mutata L.)
• Purple saxifrage ( Saxifraga oppositifolia L.), including the subspecies: Bodensee- saxifrage ( Saxifraga oppositifolia subsp. Amphibia ( Sündermann ) Braun - Blanquet )

• Saxifraga sect. Ligulatae Haw. At about eleven species: Tongues - saxifrage ( Saxifraga callosa Sm )
• Löffelblättriger saxifrage ( Saxifraga cochlearis Rchb. )
• Strauss - saxifrage or glory - saxifrage ( Saxifraga cotyledon L.)
• Crust- saxifrage ( Saxifraga crustata Vest)
• Saxifraga florulenta Moretti, occurs only in the Maritime Alps (France and Italy)
• Host - saxifrage ( Saxifraga hostii exchange), including the subspecies: Rhaetian saxifrage ( Saxifraga hostii subsp. Rhaetica )

• Saxifraga sect. Trachyphyllum ( Gaudin ) WDJKoch: With about 27 species, including: Rough saxifrage ( Saxifraga aspera L.), Origin: Alps, Pyrenees, Apennines
• Saxifraga bronchialis L., occurs in northern Asia and North America, in Europe only in the Northern Urals
• Moss Saxifrage ( Saxifraga bryoides L.)

• Saxifraga sect. Gymnopera D.Don: With four ways: Wedge Leaf Saxifrage ( Saxifraga cuneifolia L.)
• Wire-haired saxifrage ( Saxifraga hirsuta L.), Origin: Spain, France, Great Britain and Ireland
• Saxifraga spathularis bread., Is found in Portugal, Spain and Ireland
• Shadow saxifrage ( Saxifraga umbrosa L.)

• Saxifraga sect. Cotylea exchange: With three kinds: Saxifraga coriifolia divan & Levier
• Round-leaved saxifrage ( Saxifraga rotundifolia L.)
• Saxifraga Taygetea Boiss. & Heldr. , Occurs only on the Balkan Peninsula

• Saxifraga sect. Odontophyllae Gornall: With only one type: Saxifraga odontophylla Wall.

• Saxifraga sect. Mesogyne Sternb. At about eleven species: Saxifraga arctolitoralis Jurtsev & V.V.Petrovsky
• Saxifraga bracteata D.Don
• Carpathian saxifrage ( Saxifraga carpatica Sternb. ), Occurs in the Carpathians, in Bulgaria, the former Yugoslavia and Austria
• Nodding saxifrage ( Saxifraga cernua L.)
• Saxifraga granulifera Harry Smith
• Saxifraga hyperborea R.Br. ( Syn: . S. flexuosa Sternb ), arrives in Europe only in the extreme north ( northern Russia, Svalbard ) before
• Saxifraga radiata Small
• Saxifraga rivularis L., arrives in Europe in Scandinavia, northern Russia, Svalbard, Iceland, the Faroe Islands and northern Britain before
• Saxifraga sibirica L., arrives in Europe only in Russia, Bulgaria and Greece
• Saxifraga yoshimurae Miyabe & Tatev.

• Saxifraga sect. Saxifraga: With about 80 species, such as: Ascending saxifrage ( Saxifraga adscendens L.)
• Mannsschild - saxifrage ( Saxifraga androsacea L.)
• Leafless saxifrage ( Saxifraga aphylla Sternb. )
• . Saxifraga aquatica Lapeyr, Origin: Pyrenees
• Cobwebs - saxifrage ( Saxifraga arachnoidea Sternb. )
• Saxifraga Babiana Diaz & Fernández Prieto, Origin: North West Spain
• Saxifraga Berica ( BEGUINOT ) D. A. Webb, occurs only in the Berici near Vicenza in northern Italy
• . Saxifraga biternata Boiss, Origin: South of Spain
• Saxifraga blavii ( Engler ) G. Beck, Origin: Balkan Peninsula
• Saxifraga bourgaeana Boiss. & Reuter, Origin: South of Spain
• Onion - saxifrage ( Saxifraga bulbifera L.), is found in Europe in Southeast Europe, in the southeastern and southern Central Europe and Southern Europe
• Saxifraga camposii Boiss. & Reuter, Origin: Spain
• Saxifraga canaliculata Boiss. & Reuter ex Engler, Origin: North Spain
• Saxifraga Carpetana Boiss. & Reuter, arrives in Europe in Spain, Italy, Sicily, on the Balkan Peninsula and the Greek islands
• Saxifraga cebennensis Rouy & Camus, Origin: South of France
• Cushion saxifrage ( Saxifraga cespitosa L.)
• Saxifraga cintrana Kuzinský ex Willk, home. Portugal
• Saxifraga conifera Cosson & Durieu, Origin: North Spain
• Saxifraga continentalis ( Engl & Irmscher ) D. A. Webb
• Saxifraga corsica ( Ser. ) Gren. . & Godr, Origin: Sardinia, Corsica, Balearic Islands and Spain
• . Saxifraga cuneata Willd, Origin: Spain
• Tridentate saxifrage ( Saxifraga depressa Sternb. )
• Saxifraga dichotoma Willd., Arrives in Europe in Spain before
• Saxifraga erioblasta Boiss. & Reut home. Southern Spain
• Furrows - saxifrage ( Saxifraga exarata Vill. )
• Facchinis saxifrage ( Saxifraga facchinii WDJKoch ), occurs only in the Dolomites in northern Italy
• Saxifraga fragilis cabinet, Origin: Spain and France
• . Saxifraga gemmulosa Boiss, Origin: South of Spain
• Saxifraga geranioides L., Origin: Pyrenees
• . Saxifraga glabella Bertol, Origin: Central Italy, Balkan peninsula
• Saxifraga globulifera Desf. , Arrives in Europe only in southern Spain before
• Nodule - saxifrage or granules Saxifrage ( Saxifraga granulata L.)
• Saxifraga haenseleri Boiss. & Reuter, Origin: South of Spain
• Saxifraga hariotii Luizet & Soulie, Origin: Pyrenees
• Hohenwart - saxifrage ( Saxifraga hohenwartii Vest ex Sternb. )
• Saxifraga hypnoides L., Origin: Iceland, Great Britain, Norway and Belgium
• . Saxifraga intricata Lapeyr, Origin: Pyrenees
• Saxifraga irrigua Bieb, home. Crimea
• Saxifraga D. A. italica Webb, Origin: Central Italy
• . Saxifraga latepetiolata Willk, Origin: Spain
• Saxifraga moncayensis D. A. Webb, Origin: Spain
• Musk - saxifrage ( Saxifraga moschata Wulfen )
• Flat- leaf saxifrage ( Saxifraga muscoides space. )
• . Saxifraga nevadensis Boiss, Origin: South of Spain
• Saxifraga osloensis boys, Origin: Norway, Southern Sweden
• Mica - saxifrage ( Saxifraga paradoxa Sternb. ) Heimart: Austria, Slovenia
• Piedmont saxifrage ( Saxifraga pedemontana space. )
• . Saxifraga pentadactylis Lapeyr, Origin: Spain
• Rock - saxifrage ( Saxifraga petraea L.)
• Saxifraga praetermissa D. A. Webb, Origin: Northern Spain and France
• Presolana saxifrage ( Saxifraga presolanensis Engler )
• Saxifraga pubescens Pourret, Origin: Pyrenees
• . Saxifraga reuteriana Boiss, Origin: South of Spain
• Saxifraga rigoi Porta, Origin: Southern Spain and Morocco
• Butterwort - saxifrage ( Saxifraga sedoides L.)
• Seguiers saxifrage ( Saxifraga seguieri Spreng. )
• Styrian saxifrage ( Saxifraga styriaca Köckinger ), occurs only in Styria
• Tender saxifrage ( Saxifraga tenella Wulf. ), Origin: Austria, Italy, Slovenia
• Three finger - saxifrage ( Saxifraga tridactylites L.)
• Dreigabliger saxifrage ( Saxifraga trifurcata Schrader ), occurs only in northern Spain
• Saxifraga vayredana Luizet, Origin: North Spain
• Saxifraga wahlenbergii ball, occurs only in the Western Carpathians.

Two other sections are separated in modern times on the basis of molecular genetic studies by some authors as a separate genus Micranthes Haworth:

• Saxifraga sect. Merkianae ( Engl & Irmsch. ) Gornall: With only two types: Saxifraga merkii fish. & Sternb.
• Saxifraga tolmiei Torr. & A. Gray ( Syn: Micranthes tolmiei ( Torr. & A. Gray ) Brouillet & Gornall )

• Saxifraga clusii Gouan
• Saxifraga foliolosa R.Br. ( Syn: Micranthes foliolosa ( R. Br ) Gornall ), arrives in Europe in Iceland, Scandinavia, Spitsbergen and North Russia before
• Hawkweed - saxifrage ( Saxifraga hieraciifolia ( Waldst. & Kit. Ex Willd. ) Haw. )
• Saxifraga nelsoniana D. Don
• Snow Saxifrage ( Saxifraga nivalis L.; Syn: Micranthes nivalis (L.) Small)
• Star saxifrage ( Saxifraga stellaris L.; Syn: Micranthes stellaris (L.) Galasso, Banfi & Soldano ), including the subspecies: Alpine Saxifrage or Ordinary Star saxifrage ( Saxifraga stellaris subsp. Engleri P. Fourn. )

Many hybrids are also used as ornamental plants (selection):

• Saxifraga x andrewsii Harvey (probably S. paniculata x p spathularis )
• Saxifraga x apiculata Engler (P. marginata var roche liana x S. sancta )
• Saxifraga x arendsii Engler (p. exarata x p x p hypnoides granulata var hypnoides x S. rosacea )
• Saxifraga x geum L. ( S. hirsuta x p umbrosa )
• Saxifraga x haagii Sünderm. (P. ferdinandi - coburgi x S. sancta )
• Saxifraga x polita ( Haworth ) Link ( S. hirsuta x p spathularis )
• Saxifraga x urbium D. A. Webb ( p x p spathularis umbrosa )

Swell