Chrysosplenium iowense (Golden Saxifrage) - photos and description
15 cm ruler
General: Small, erect plants with golden flowers at stem tips. Plants glabrous.
Flowers: Flowers with yellowish-green sepals, the outer pair often wider than the inner pair, we observed 4 to 8 stamens. Flowers to 5 mm in diameter.
Leaves: Leaves alternate on stem and a cluster at stem tip, reniform, crenate, we measured them at 15 mm wide, 10 mm long.
Height: Height is listed in Flora of Alberta to 15 cm, we measured plants to 9 cm tall.
Habitat: Shady, wet woods in the boreal forest.
Abundance: Extremely rare, ranked as an S1 (as of 2021) by the Saskatchewan Conservation Data Centre.
Origin: Native.
How to identify this species of Chrysosplenium: According to Budd's Flora, and Flora of Alberta, 2-8 stamens and a wider pair of outer sepals distinguish this plant from C. tetrandrum which has 4 stamens.
When and where photographed: The above photos were taken June 4th, and June 11th grassy area next to streamlet, mixed white spruce - aspen woods, Porcupine Hills, about 450 km northeast of our home in Regina, SK.