Single Record
Participant Info
- Species
- Saxifraga debilis [Saxifraga rivularis] [Saxifraga hyperborea subsp. debilis]
- Family
- Saxifragaceae
- CommonName
- highland saxifrage, weak saxifrage, alpine brook saxifrage
- Presence
- YES
- Status
- native
- EarliestDate
- 1945
- LatestDate
- 2015
- Ecosystem
- montane, subalpine, tundra
- Geobotanical
- SSanjuans, Culebras, NCristos
- Counties
- Alamosa, Conejos, Costilla, Hinsdale, Mineral, Rio Grande, Saguache, San Juan
- Passes
- Stony
- WildlifePreserves
- Other Localities
- Comments
- Ranging from upper montane into the tundra, Saxifraga debilis has been found in a variety of habitats, usually among rocks and on rock ledges but also in wet meadows and forest openings. The Big Meadows Reservoir photorecord would add Mineral to Watershed counties shown indicated in Ackerfield (2022) and BONAP (2022). In New Mexico the species has been recorded only from Rio Arriba and Taos counties. USA distribution falls west of the Great Plains where alpine habitats occur. On the nomenclature issues, here is conclusion of FNA (March 2023): "Saxifraga debilis is known only from the central and southern Rocky Mountains, where it is often called S. rivularis (a species not present in the area). Its V-shaped (in longisection), glabrous or sparsely short stipitate-glandular hypanthia, and larger, more-lobed leaves (similar to S. bracteata in this) distinguish it from S. hyperborea, which is sometimes sympatric (M. H. Jørgensen et al. 2006)." Unlike BONAP, FNA includes Colorado in its distribution of S. hyperborea; however, note that FNA calls specimens labeled "Saxifraga hyperborea subsp. debilis" S. debilis.
- Annotation