Saxifraga stolonifera

Life-forms

Classification System: APG IV

Superregnum: Eukaryota
Regnum: Plantae
Cladus: Angiosperms
Cladus: Eudicots
Cladus: Core eudicots
Ordo: Saxifragales

Familia: Saxifragaceae
Genus: Saxifraga
Subgenus: S. subg. Saxifraga
Sectio: S. sect. Irregulares
Subsectio: S. subsect. Stoloniferae
Species: Saxifraga stolonifera
Name

Saxifraga stolonifera Curtis, Philos. Trans. 64(1): 308, t. 2541. 1774.
Synonyms

Homotypic
Sekika stolonifera (Curtis) H.Hara in Nakai & Honda, Nova Fl. Jap. No. 3, Saxifragac. 47. 1939.

Heterotypic
Adenogyna sarmentosa (L.f.) Raf., New Fl. 1: 63. 1836.
Aphomonix hederacea Raf., Fl. Tellur. 2: 65. 1837.
Diptera cuscutiformis (Lodd.) Heynh., Alph. Aufz. Gew. 206. 1846.
Diptera sarmentosa (L.f.) Borkh., Neues Mag. Bot. 1: 29. 1794.
Diptera sarmentosa (L.f.) Losinsk., Izv. Glavn. Bot. Sada S.S.S.R. 27: 601. 1928.
Ligularia sarmentosa (L.f.) Duval, Pl. Succ. Horto Alençon. 11. 1809.
Megasea ligulata (Murray) F.T.Hubb., in L.H.Bailey, Standard Cycl. Hortic. 3086. 1917, nom. inval. pro syn.
Robertsonia sarmentosa (L.f.) Link, Handbuch 2: 40. 1831.
Rupifraga cuscutiformis (Lodd.) Raf., Fl. Tellur. 4: 121. 1838.
Rupifraga sarmentosa (L.f.) Raf., Fl. Tellur. 2: 68. 1837.
Saxifraga chaffanjonii H.Lév., Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. 9(222–226): 452. 1911.
Saxifraga chinensis Lour., Fl. Cochinch. 1: 281. 1790.
Saxifraga cuscutiformis Lodd., Bot. Cab. 2: t. 186. 1818.
Saxifraga dumetorum Balf.f., Trans. Bot. Soc. Edinburgh 27(1): 71. 1918.
Saxifraga fortunei var. tricolor Lem., Ill. Hort. 11: t. 398. 1864 [1].
Saxifraga iochanensis H.Lév., Sert. Yunnan. 2. 1916.
Saxifraga ligulata Murray, Commentat. Soc. Regiae Sci. Gott., Opuscula 26, pl. 1. 1781.
Saxifraga martini H.Lév. & Vaniot, in H.Lév., Cat. Pl. Yunnan 259. 1917, p.p., nom. inval.
Saxifraga sarmentosa L.f., Suppl. Pl. 240. 1782.
Saxifraga sarmentosa var. aptera Makino, J. Jap. Bot. 3(11): 43, f. 1b. 1926.
Saxifraga sarmentosa var. cuscutiformis (Lodd.) Ser., in DC., Prodr. 4: 43. 1830.
Saxifraga sarmentosa var. immaculata Diels, Bot. Jahrb. Syst. 29(3–4): 364–365, 1901.
Saxifraga sarmentosa var. leuconeura Makino, J. Jap. Bot. 4(6): 12. 1927.
Saxifraga sarmentosa var. tricolor (Lem.) Maxim., Bull. Acad. Imp. Sci. Saint-Pétersbourg 18: 36. 1873 [2].
Saxifraga sarmentosa var. viridifolia Makino, J. Jap. Bot. 4(6): 14. 1927.
Saxifraga stolonifera Meerb., Afb. Zeldz. Gew. 3: [1], t. 23. 1777, nom. illeg. non Curtis
Saxifraga stolonifera f. aptera (Makino) H.Hara in Nakai & Honda, Nov. Fl. Jap. 3: 49, f. 10. 1939.
Saxifraga stolonifera f. cuscutiformis (Lodd.) Tebbitt in?
Saxifraga stolonifera f. leuconeura (Makino) H.Hara in Nakai & Honda, Nov. Fl. Jap. 3: 49. 1939.
Saxifraga stolonifera f. viridifolia (Makino) H.Hara in Nakai & Honda, Nov. Fl. Jap. 3: 49. 1939.
Saxifraga stolonifera var. immaculata (Diels) Hand.-Mazz., Symb. Sin. 7(2): 427. 1931.
Saxifraga veitchiana Balf.f., Trans. Bot. Soc. Edinburgh 27(1): 75. 1918.
Sekika cyclaminea Medik., Staatswirthschaftl. Vorles. Churpfälz. Phys.-Ökon. Ges. Heidelberg 1: 209. 1791, nom. illeg.
Sekika sarmentosa (L.f.) Moench, Suppl. Meth. 77. 1802.

References

Philosophical Transactions: Giving Some Account of the Present Undertakings, Studies, and Labours of the Ingenious in Many Parts of the World. London 64:308, t. 2541. 1774
USDA, ARS, Germplasm Resources Information Network. Saxifraga stolonifera in the Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN), U.S. Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service. Accessed: 07-Oct-06.

Vernacular names
български: Бедреница
English: trailing saxifrage, creeping saxifrage
suomi: Aaroninparta
français: Saxifrage stolonifère
hornjoserbsce: Plećawy rupik
日本語: ユキノシタ
한국어: 바위취
polski: Skalnica rozłogowa
中文: 虎耳草

Saxifraga stolonifera is a perennial flowering plant known by several common names, including creeping saxifrage, strawberry saxifrage, creeping rockfoil, Aaron's beard, mother of thousands,[2] roving sailor, [2] and strawberry begonia or strawberry geranium[2] (it is neither a begonia nor a geranium).

Range

The plant is native to China, Japan and Korea. But it is widespread in much of the temperate regions of Eurasia and in North America. In their homeland they thrive in forests, in bushes, in meadows, even on rocks, at altitudes of 400 to 4500 meters. It is now used as an ornamental plant worldwide.
Description

The plant spreads via threadlike red stolon (runners), with plantlets taking root in the vicinity of the mother plant. It is hardy to USDA zone 5. It grows as a perennial herbaceous plant 10 to 20 cm tall, whose inflorescence bears small zygomorphous flowers that bloom during the transition between spring and summer.

Like strawberry plants, it produces stolons with clones at the tip, allowing it to spread easily. It develops long thin extensions with scale-shaped leaves. Its petiole is 15-21 cm long. The basal leaves are green above with silver gray nerves and reddish below. The leaf is round in outline and irregularly serrated at the edge, trimmed at the base, rounded or heart-shaped. The stem leaves are lanceolate and only 6 mm long and 2 mm wide.

The flowering period is May to August. The loose, paniculate inflorescence contains 7 to 60 flowers. The sepals are protruding or struck back. Two of the five white petals are characteristically longer than the rest. The longer petals are lanceolate, 6-15 mm long and 2-4 mm wide and pointed. The smaller petals are red or yellow dotted and 2-4 mm long and 1-2 mm wide. The stamens are 4.5 mm long. The ovary is pale yellow.[3]
Uses

The foliage is occasionally used fresh or cooked in Japanese cuisine. It was also used as an herbal remedy in classical Japan. It contains quercetin which has been shown to have anti-cancer activity in vitro.[4]
Cultivation

A popular garden flower, Saxifraga stolonifera has attractive white blossoms with distinctive pointed petals and bright yellow ovary. It requires a sheltered spot in full or partial shade. Its creeping green foliage makes a good groundcover. In favorable conditions it is semi-evergreen. It has gained the Royal Horticultural Society’s Award of Garden Merit.[5][6]

References

"The Plant List: A Working List of All Plant Species". Retrieved 10 February 2015.
Umberto Quattrocchi. CRC World Dictionary of Plant Names: Common Names, Scientific Names, Eponyms. Synonyms, and Etymology. CRC Press, 1999. p.2395-2396. ISBN 9780849326738
Eckehart J. Jäger, Friedrich Ebel, Peter Hanelt, Gerd K. Müller (ed.): Excursion flora of Germany . Founded by Werner Rothmaler. Volume 5 : Herbaceous ornamental and useful plants . Springer, Spektrum Academic Publisher, Berlin / Heidelberg 2008, ISBN 978-3-8274-0918-8 , p 342 .
Meeb Chen Z., Liu Y.-M., Yang S., Song B.-A., Xu G.-F., Bhadury P.S., Jin L.-H., Hu D.-Y., Liu F., Xue W., Zhou X. "Studies on the chemical constituents and anticancer activity of Saxifraga stolonifera (L)" Bioorganic and Medicinal Chemistry 2008 16:3 (1337-1344)
"RHS Plantfinder - Saxifraga stolonifera". Retrieved 4 November 2018.
"AGM Plants - Ornamental" (PDF). Royal Horticultural Society. July 2017. p. 95. Retrieved 1 November 2018.