234 SAXIFRAGACEAE (SAXIFRAGE FAMILY) 



with either axile or parietal placentae; ovules mostly numerous; styles dis- 

 tinct or more or less united. Fruit capsular; the carpels either distinct or 

 united but their upper portion free, opening along the inner suture of each. 



Ovary 1 -celled, with 2-4 parietal placentae. 



Stamens 5, alternating with 5 clusters of sterile filaments . .1. Parnassia. 

 Stamens all anther-bearing. 



Stamens 5; petals sometimes wanting. 



Filaments and styles exserted; petals entire . . . . 2. Heuchera. 

 Filaments and styles very short; petals pinnatifid or 3-cleft . 3. Mitella. 

 Stamens 8-10. 



Petals wholly wanting; capsule obcordate, flattened . . 4. Chrysosplenium. 

 Petals present, conspicuous, 3-7-parted . . . . .5. Tellima. 

 Ovary 2-celled, and placentae in the axis or the carpels distinct. 

 Ovary more or less adnate to the calyx-tube. 



Stamens 5, inserted below the throat of the calyx, next to the 



ovary 6. Sullivantia. 



Stamens 10, inserted in the throat of the calyx .... 7. Boykinia. 

 Ovary free from the calyx; stamens 10 . . . . . .8. Saxifraga. 



1. PARNASSIA L. GRASS OF PARNASSUS 



Smooth perennial herbs with entire and chiefly radical leaves and large 

 solitary flowers terminating the long naked stems. Calyx 5-parted. Petals 5, 

 white, with greenish or yellowish veins. Stamens 5, alternating with 5 clus- 

 ters of sterile filaments (staminodia) . Ovary 1 -celled, with 3 or 4 parietal 

 placentae directly under as many sessile stigmas. Seeds numerous. 



Petals sessile, entire; leaves ovate or cordate. 

 Scape (stem) with a single leaf. 



Staminodia 5-7; leaf near the middle of the scape . . . .1. P. parviflqra. 



Staminodia 7-15; leaf usually below the middle . . . . 2. P. palustris. 



Scape naked, or with 1 leaf near the base 3. P. kotzebuei. 



Petals with a short claw, fringed . . . . . . . 4. P. fimbriata. 



1. Parnassia parviflora DC. Prodr. 1: 320. 1824. Scape 1-2 dm. high, slen- 

 der, bearing a small ovate or oval leaf near the middle (sometimes lower): 

 leaves ovate or oblong, tapering to the petioles: petals sessile, entire, elliptic, 

 scarcely longer than the oblong or elliptic sepals: sterile filaments (stami- 

 nodia) about 5. Lake and stream banks at middle elevations; Colorado, 

 Wyoming, northward and eastward. 



2. Parnassia palustris L. Sp. PI. 273. 1753. Scape 1-2 dm. high, the 

 single ovate clasping leaf usually below the middle: leaves broadly ovate, 

 more or less cordate, rather long slender-petioled: petals sessile, broadly el- 

 liptic, somewhat longer than the ovate subacute sepals: sterile filaments 

 slender, 9-15 at the base of each petal. Extending into the mountains of 

 Wyoming from the north and east. 



3. Parnassia kotzebuei C. & S. Linnaea 1 : 549. 1826. Scape usually less 

 than 1 dm. high, leafless, or rarely with a single oval leaf near the base: leaves 

 thin, ovate or oval, often subcordate at base, short-petioled : petals sessile, 

 about equaling the oblong calyx-lobes: sterile filaments slender, only 3-5 at 

 the base of each petal. Arctic, but extending south along the mountains to 

 northern Wyoming. 



4. Parnassia fimbriata Banks, Kon. & Sims. Ann. Bot. 1: 391. 1805. 

 Scape 1-2 dm. high, the single clasping ovate-cordate leaf at the middle or a 

 a little above: leaves broadly reniform to ovate-cordate, slender-petioled: 

 petals with a short claw, fringed below the middle or toward the base : sterile 

 filaments 5-9 in each set, united below into a fleshy carinate scale, or some- 

 times a dilated scale destitute of bristle-like filaments. (P. rivularis Osterh. 

 N. A. Fl. 22: 78. 1905.) Subalpine, wet shady banks; Colorado to California 

 and northward to British America. 



2. HEUCHERA L. ALUMROOT 



Caespitose perennials, with mostly basal leaves, those on the scape (if any) 

 alternate. Petioles with dilated margins or adherent stipules at their base. 



