"Saxifrage" means "rock breaker".  The name is most likely derived from one or both of the following:  
1) Saxifrage Family members often grow in rocky, stony areas.
2) Since Saxifrage grows in stony areas it was believed that it would therefore have a medicinal use for breaking kidney stones.  (This supposed relationship between a plant's place of growth, shape, or other characteristics, with its use in human medicine is called "the doctrine of associations".)

    The Saxifraga genus, named by Linnaeus in 1753, has about 400 species worldwide, about 70 in North America.  Some species occur (according to Intermountain Flora) on the "north coast of Greenland as far north as any flowering plant can survive".

Montane, subalpine, alpine. Marshy areas, tundra. openings. Summer.
Cinnamon Pass, August 1, 2007.

Micranthes oregana is very uncommon in the Four Corners area, occurring  only in San Juan County, Colorado.  It is an elongated, multi-flowered version of the very common Micranthes rhomboidea which occurs in every county in the Four Corners area.  Micranthes oregana occurs in marshy areas and often grows to over two feet tall, at least two or three times the height of Micranthes rhomboidea.  Stems are covered with fine white hairs tipped in bulbous glands; basal leaves are large, fleshy, and slightly toothed; and flowers are in several clusters near the top of the stem.

Frederick Coville and F. Funston collected the first specimens of this plant near Mt. Whitney in 1891 and Thomas Howell named it in 1895.

Montane, subalpine, alpine. Marshy areas, tundra. openings. Summer.
Cinnamon Pass, August 1, 2007.

Montane, subalpine, alpine. Tundra, rocks, openings. Summer.
Lizard Head Trail, July 2, 2004.

Micranthes rhomboidea’s tiny snowball flowers on a slender stalk are most commonly and easily seen scattered, sometimes abundantly, on alpine ridges and high meadows. At lower elevations this Saxifrage is easily lost in other foliage. Snowball Saxifrage might be mistaken for Bistorta bistortoides.

In 1889 Edward Lee Greene collected the first specimen of this lovely plant for science in Arizona.  He named it Saxifraga rhomboidea in 1898.  John Small (1869-1938) renamed it Micranthes rhomboidea in 1905.

Montane, subalpine, alpine. Tundra, rocks, openings. Summer.
Sharkstooth Trail, June 28, 2007.

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 Micranthes oregana (Saxifraga oregana)

Range map for Micranthes rhomboidea (Saxifraga rhomboidea)