Walk a familiar trail at a snail's pace and you will find the tiny delights of this world.  The species shown on this page are only for those snails who search.  Finding, studying, and appreciating these species reminds us of the enormous variety of life on Earth and our frightening power to destroy this life -- or wonderful opportunity to protect and enjoy it.  Whether we cut timber, pick wildflowers, cut across switchback trails -- its all the same: we don't really understand how much we are destroying.

     Linnaeus named the Saxifraga genus in 1753.

     Intermountain Flora and the Synthesis combine the last two species shown below into Saxifraga rivularis.  

Alpine.  Rocky areas.  Summer.
Cinnamon Pass, August 1, 2007.

This species is quickly distinguished from the next two by the bulblets along the stem below the flower. There are also often bulblets in the basal leaf axils. Reproduction occurs mostly from the bulblets, rarely from seeds, but also occurs from the fibrous root system -- thus there will often be several plants near each other because they sprout from the roots.   Leaves are distinctively cute:

Linnaeus named this species in 1753 from a specimen collected in Lapland.

Alpine.  Rocky areas.  Summer.
Cinnamon Pass, August 1, 2007.

Subalpine, alpine. Rocky areas. Summer.
Sharkstooth Trail, July 14, 2006.

The remaining plants on this page are considered two distinct species by Bill Weber, Colorado plant authority.  However, national plant authority John Kartesz (the ultimate authority for all plant names on this web site) considers them to be one species, Saxifraga rivularis.

This minute and lovely plant has very narrow stems with few tiny leaves surmounting long-petioled basal leaves.  Saxifraga rivularis is often found in clusters tucked into moist, rocky crevices.

In 1864 George Engelmann named this species Saxifraga debilis (from a specimen collected by Harbour and Hall on their famous Colorado collecting expedition of 1862); Engelmann renamed it Saxifraga cernua variety debilis in 1872; Löve, Löve, and Kapoor renamed it Saxifraga hyperborea subspecies debilis in 1971, and the most recent taxonomy combines it with Saxifraga rivularis shown at the bottom of this page.

Subalpine, alpine. Rocky areas. Summer.
Stony Pass, July 17, 2010.

Subalpine, alpine. Rocky areas. Summer.
Sharkstooth Trail, July 14, 2006.

Subalpine, alpine. Rocky areas.  Summer.
Spiller-Helmet Ridge. August 9, 2005.

Saxifraga rivularis sends out roots that sprout new plants and thus even though individual plants are tiny, its cluster of scalloped leaves and numerous white flowers attract attention -- if you are a slow moving hiker with wide open eyes.

Look for these plants in moist, shady, rocky areas and along alpine rivulets (hence its specific epithet, "rivularis", and one of its common names, "Alpine Brook Saxifrage").  The dainty white bell flowers often nod from atop slender stems which usually have a few leaves reduced in size.  Notice the similarity of the leaves of the species shown on this page.  Also compare these plants with the yellow-flowered Saxifraga flagellaris.

Linnaeus named this species in 1753.  It is circumboreal and is found in throughout the western United States and throughout Canada. 

Subalpine, alpine. Rocky areas.  Summer.
Spiller-Helmet Ridge. August 9, 2005.

Range map © John Kartesz,
Floristic Synthesis of North America

State Color Key

Species present in state and native
Species present in state and exotic
Species not present in state

County Color Key

Species present and not rare
Species present and rare
Species extirpated (historic)
Species extinct
Species noxious
Species exotic and present
Native species, but adventive in state
Eradicated
Questionable presence

Range map for Saxifraga cernua

Range map for Saxifraga hyperborea variety debilis and Saxifraga rivularis