Snow saxifrage facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Snow saxifrage |
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Micranthes
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nivalis
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Micranthes nivalis, also known as the snow saxifrage, is a cool plant from the saxifrage family. You might also hear it called "alpine saxifrage," but that name can sometimes refer to other plants too. This hardy plant loves cold places!
Contents
Snow Saxifrage: A Tough Mountain Plant
The snow saxifrage is a perennial herb. This means it's a plant that lives for more than two years. It grows in damp, shady spots. You can often find it on rocks and cliffs. It likes places where the soil or rocks have a lot of basic minerals. It usually grows in cracks and on ledges. This helps it avoid being pushed out by other plants.
Where It Lives
In Britain, this plant grows at different heights. It can be found as low as 365 meters (about 1,200 feet) in the Western Isles. It also grows as high as 1,210 meters (about 3,970 feet) on Ben Lawers. Some people have even seen it at 1,300 meters (about 4,265 feet) in the Cairngorms.
What It Looks Like
The snow saxifrage usually grows to be 5 to 20 centimeters (2 to 8 inches) tall. It has a stem that doesn't have leaves and is a bit hairy. The flowers start out greenish-white. As they get older, they turn a reddish color. Each flower has 5 petals and 5 sepals (small leaf-like parts under the petals). The leaves are tough and grayish-green. They are shaped a bit like a diamond. These leaves grow in a circle close to the ground. They don't have many hairs on them.
Where Else It Grows
This plant is found in many cold parts of the world. You can see it in Norway, Ireland, and Svalbard. It also grows in northern Germany and Russia. Across the ocean, it's found in Canada, Alaska, and Greenland.
How It Was Discovered
The famous scientist Carl Linnaeus was the first to describe this plant. He wrote about it in his book Flora Lapponica in 1737. He found it during his trip to a cold region called Lapland.
A Special Type of Snow Saxifrage
Some snow saxifrage plants in Quebec, Canada, are a bit different. Some scientists think they are a separate species called Saxifraga gaspensis. Others believe they are just a special kind of Micranthes nivalis. This special type is called Saxifraga nivalis var. gaspensis. It has smaller groups of flowers and narrower leaves than the usual snow saxifrage. It is only found in the Shickshock Mountains on the Gaspé Peninsula in southeastern Quebec. Scientists are still studying if it might be a mix of M. nivalis and another plant called M. tenuis.
See also
In Spanish: Micranthes nivalis para niños
