Taxonomy: Fam. Saxifragaceae// Genus: Saxifraga// Species: Saxifraga rotundifolia L.// Subspecies: Saxifraga rotundifolia subsp. chrysosplenifolia (Boiss.) D. A. Webb.
Determined according to the botanical keys provided by Webb in Tutin et al. (1964) and Micevski (1998).
Two subspecies of Saxifraga rotundifolia L. occur in the Osogovo region: Saxifraga rotundifolia L. subsp. rotundifolia and Saxifraga rotundifolia subsp. chrysosplenifolia (Boiss.) D. A. Webb. Distinction between subspecies:
–Saxifraga rotundifolia L. subsp. rotundifolia: leaves with thin cartilaginous margin; petiole slender, not widened above.
–Saxifraga rotundifolia subsp. chrysosplenifolia (Boiss.) D. A. Webb.: leaves without cartilaginous margin; lamina decurrent on the petiole, the petiole widened above.
Lifeform: Perennial; Hemicryptophyte according to the Raunkiær system.
Distribution: Native from the Balkan Peninsula to Aegean Islands according to the distribution information provided by The Euro+Med Plant Base (source: Marhold, 2011) and the Plants of the World Online portal (Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew).
Habitat: Woods and edges of forests, river gorges.
Flowering period: Spring: APR, MAY.
Saxifraga rotundifolia subsp. chrysosplenifolia – habit. Osogovo, ridge between the gorges of “Kochanska” River and “Orizarska” River, 07.05.2022. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Saxifraga rotundifolia subsp. chrysosplenifolia – habit. Osogovo, ridge between the gorges of “Kochanska” River and “Orizarska” River, 07.05.2022. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Saxifraga rotundifolia subsp. chrysosplenifolia – inflorescence. Osogovo, ridge between the gorges of “Kochanska” River and “Orizarska” River, 07.05.2022. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Saxifraga rotundifolia subsp. chrysosplenifolia – inflorescence. Osogovo, ridge between the gorges of “Kochanska” River and “Orizarska” River, 07.05.2022. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Saxifraga rotundifolia subsp. chrysosplenifolia – flowers. Osogovo, ridge between the gorges of “Kochanska” River and “Orizarska” River, 07.05.2022. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Saxifraga rotundifolia subsp. chrysosplenifolia – flower. Osogovo, ridge between the gorges of “Kochanska” River and “Orizarska” River, 07.05.2022. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Saxifraga rotundifolia subsp. chrysosplenifolia – flower. Osogovo, ridge between the gorges of “Kochanska” River and “Orizarska” River, 07.05.2022. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Saxifraga rotundifolia subsp. chrysosplenifolia – flower. Osogovo, ridge between the gorges of “Kochanska” River and “Orizarska” River, 07.05.2022. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Saxifraga rotundifolia subsp. chrysosplenifolia – flower. Osogovo, ridge between the gorges of “Kochanska” River and “Orizarska” River, 07.05.2022. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Saxifraga rotundifolia subsp. chrysosplenifolia – flower with calyx. Osogovo, ridge between the gorges of “Kochanska” River and “Orizarska” River, 07.05.2022. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Saxifraga rotundifolia subsp. chrysosplenifolia – basal leaves. Osogovo, ridge between the gorges of “Kochanska” River and “Orizarska” River, 07.05.2022. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Saxifraga rotundifolia subsp. chrysosplenifolia – basal leaves. Osogovo, ridge between the gorges of “Kochanska” River and “Orizarska” River, 07.05.2022. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Saxifraga rotundifolia subsp. chrysosplenifolia – basal leaf. Osogovo, ridge between the gorges of “Kochanska” River and “Orizarska” River, 07.05.2022. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Saxifraga rotundifolia subsp. chrysosplenifolia – basal leaf. Osogovo, ridge between the gorges of “Kochanska” River and “Orizarska” River, 07.05.2022. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Saxifraga rotundifolia subsp. chrysosplenifolia – basal leaf. Osogovo, ridge between the gorges of “Kochanska” River and “Orizarska” River, 07.05.2022. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Saxifraga rotundifolia subsp. chrysosplenifolia – leaf petiole. Osogovo, ridge between the gorges of “Kochanska” River and “Orizarska” River, 07.05.2022. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Saxifraga rotundifolia subsp. chrysosplenifolia – adaxial side of leaf. Osogovo, ridge between the gorges of “Kochanska” River and “Orizarska” River, 07.05.2022. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Saxifraga rotundifolia subsp. chrysosplenifolia – abaxial side of leaf. Osogovo, ridge between the gorges of “Kochanska” River and “Orizarska” River, 07.05.2022. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.
References:
Saxifraga L. Micevski, K. (1998). The Flora of the Republic of Macedonia Vol. I, Book 4. Macedonian Academy of Sciences and Arts, pp. 1069 – 1091.
Saxifraga L. Webb, D.A. in Tutin, T.G., Heywood, V.H., Burges, N.A., Moore, D.M., Valentine, D.H., Walters, S.M., & Webb, D.A. (1964). Flora Europaea. Volume 1. Lycopodiaceae to Platanaceae. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, pp. 364 – 380.
