Saxifraga paniculata

Plant without flower
Saxifraga paniculata is a perennial and stoloniferous herbaceous plant with flowering stems 10–30 cm in height. The most easily identifiable feature is its highly dense basal rosette of leaves, which are leathery, flat and stiff. 1–3 cm long, the oblong to ovate leaves are densely toothed and have fine leaf margins; a lime-encrusted white pore is present at the base of each leaf. The rosettes produce erect flowering stems (though nothing might be produced for a few years), whilst the rosettes themselves grow at the end of runners (horizontal, long stolons).The flowering stems have reduced and scattered leaves which terminate in a somewhat elongated cluster. The flowers are white, approximately 1 cm across and have dots which are either purplish or red. It flowers from mid-to-late June to early August, and produces perfect flowers (as it has both stamens and carpels). The flowers themselves have five petals, two styles, one inferior ovary and a two-beaked seed capsule. Warming (1909) noted that the flowers are protandrous, in the sense that even before the stigmas become receptive the flowers make and disperse pollen. However, as discussed in the 'Ecology' section below, the plant can self-pollinate.
Saxifraga paniculata can sometimes be mistaken for another plant in the same genus, Saxifraga tricuspidata (prickly saxifrage); whilst S. tricuspidata does grow in a similar range, it can be differentiated from S. paniculata by its lack of lime-encrusted pores and by its crowded and much narrower leaves, which apart from three terminating stiff spine-tipped teeth have otherwise smooth margins.

Water moderately, allowing the top 3cm to dry out between watering.

Saxifraga Paniculata

Saxifraga paniculata

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