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Internal ID UUID644059cb2a04f070444488
Scientific name Micranthes stellaris
Authority (L.) Galasso, Banfi & Soldano
First published in Atti Soc. Ital. Sci. Nat. Mus. Civico Storia Nat. Milano 146: 231 (2005)

Ethnobotanical Use Top

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General Uses Top

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Common products:
- Ornamental plant for rock gardens, alpine troughs, container displays, and low‑maintenance ground cover in cold climates.
- Used in alpine landscaping, especially scree beds and green roofs, where its low, mat‑forming habit provides erosion control.
- The plant is frequently recommended for alpine garden design where low‑growing, evergreen mats provide visual continuity between stones and crevices.
- Propagation for commercial sale typically involves sowing fresh seed after a 4‑week cold stratification period or dividing established clumps in early spring; germination rates are reported around 70–80 % under cool, moist conditions.
- In scientific applications, Micranthes stellaris serves as a representative alpine herb for monitoring phenological shifts in response to warming trends and for population genetic studies across fragmented habitats.

Properties relevant to use:
- Compact rosette (5–10 cm diam.) spreads via short stolons, forming dense mats that stabilize scree soils.
- Slightly succulent, glaucous leaves reduce water loss and increase drought and frost tolerance; a waxy cuticle further limits transpiration.
- Shallow fibrous roots with a short taproot anchor the plant in loose scree while accessing limited moisture.
- Documented cold hardiness for USDA zones 3–5 is linked to soluble sugars that lower tissue freezing point.
- Flowering stems rise 10–15 cm; five‑petaled white flowers open sequentially over 2–3 weeks in midsummer, extending ornamental display.
- The species thrives in low‑organic soils (≈0.5–1 % organic carbon) and colonizes mineral‑rich scree where few other vascular plants establish.

Sustainability and sourcing:
- Not listed as threatened on the IUCN Red List; populations are stable across native European and North American ranges.
- Commercial material is primarily propagated ex situ by seed or clump division, and ex situ conservation programs maintain living collections and seed banks, providing both horticultural stock and ecological reserves.
- Seed banks maintained by botanical gardens and alpine plant societies preserve genetic diversity and provide material for restoration projects.
- Commercial nurseries often source propagation material from cultivated stock rather than wild collection, and many provide provenance information on plant labels.
- Trade follows standard phytosanitary regulations (e.g., IPPC plant passports, national plant health certificates); species is not protected under CITES.

Synonyms Top

Scientific name Authority First published in
Robertsonia stellaris Link Handbuch 2: 40 (1831)
Spatularia stellaris Haw. Saxifrag. Enum. 1: 49 (1821)
Saxifraga bejarana (Pau) Rivas Goday Bol. Real Soc. Esp. Hist. Nat. 40: 315 (1942)
Saxifraga subalpina Brügger Jahresber. Naturf. Ges. Graubündens , n.s., 31(Beil.): 69 (1887-1888 publ. 1888)
Saxifraga schleicheri D.Don ex G.Don Hort. Brit. : 176 (1830)
Saxifraga subalpina Dalla Torre & Sarnth. Fl. Tirol 6(2): 446 (1909)
Saxifraga stellaris L. Sp. Pl. : 400 (1753)
Saxifraga pegaia Dalla Torre Alpenfl. : 126 (1899)
Hydatica brunoniana Small N. Amer. Fl. 22: 554 (1918)
Hydatica stellaris Gray Nat. Arr. Brit. Pl. 2: 530 (1821 publ. 1822)
Saxifraga stellaris var. brunoniana Bong. Mém. Acad. Imp. Sci. St.-Pétersbourg, Sér. 6, Sci. Math. 2: 140. 1832 [Aug 1832] ; Obs. Vég. Sitcha 22
Saxifraga leucanthemifolia var. brunoniana (Bong.) Engl. Monogr. Saxifraga 135. 1872 [Mar-Apr 1872]
Spatularia brunoniana (Bong.) Small N. Amer. Fl. 22: 149 (1905)

Common names Top

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Language Common/alternative name
French saxifrage en étoile
French saxifrage étoilée
French saxifraga stellaris
Norwegian Bokmål stjernesildre
Chinese 星状虎耳草

Subspecies (abbr. subsp./ssp.) Top

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Name Authority First published in
Micranthes stellaris subsp. hispidula (Rochel) Gornall New J. Bot. 6: 54 (2016)
Micranthes stellaris subsp. robusta (Engl.) Gornall New J. Bot. 6: 54 (2016)
Micranthes stellaris subsp. stellaris Unknown

Varieties (abbr. var.) Top

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Name Authority First published in
Micranthes stellaris var. acaulis (Haller f.) Gornall New J. Bot. 6: 55 (2016)
Micranthes stellaris var. gemmifera (D.A.Webb) Gornall New J. Bot. 6: 52 (2016)
Micranthes stellaris var. obovata (Engl.) Gornall New J. Bot. 6: 54 (2016)
Micranthes stellaris var. paucidentata Gornall New J. Bot. 6: 54 (2016)
Micranthes stellaris var. prolifera (Sternb.) Gornall New J. Bot. 6: 56 (2016)

Subvarieties (abbr. subvar.) Top

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Forms (abbr. f.) Top

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Germination/Propagation Top

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Expose seeds to natural outdoor winter conditions for 3 months, then gradually increase light and temperature in the spring.
Sow seeds immediately as their viability decreases rapidly, or they best germinate when fresh. If stored, seeds might need temperature cycling and patience to germinate.
keep all seed pots x 2 years

Distribution (via POWO/KEW) Top

Legend for the distribution data:
- Doubtful data
- Extinct
- Introduced
- Native
  • Europe
    • Eastern Europe
      • North European Russia
      • Ukraine
    • Middle Europe
      • Austria
      • Germany
      • Switzerland
    • Northern Europe
      • Finland
      • Føroyar
      • Great Britain
      • Iceland
      • Ireland
      • Norway
      • Sweden
    • Southeastern Europe
      • Albania
      • Bulgaria
      • Greece
      • Italy
      • Romania
      • Yugoslavia
    • Southwestern Europe
      • Corse
      • France
      • Portugal
      • Spain
  • Northern America
    • Eastern Canada
      • Labrador
      • Québec
    • Subarctic America
      • Greenland
      • Nunavut

Links to other databases Top

Suggest others/fix!
Database ID/link to page
World Flora Online wfo-0001280029
Canadensys 9266
Tropicos 50307490
INPN 717310
KEW urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:77068348-1
Open Tree Of Life 78760
NCBI Taxonomy 90614
Nature Serve 2.136970
IPNI 77068348-1
iNaturalist 357948
GBIF 5567578
Freebase /m/0896zq
Wikipedia Micranthes_stellaris
CMAUP NPO1604
Plantarium 102808

Genomes (via NCBI) Top

No reference genome is available on NCBI yet. We are constantly monitoring for new data.

Scientific Literature Top

Below are displayed the latest 15 articles published in PMC (PubMed Central®) and other sources (DOI number only)!
If you wish to see all the related articles click here.
Title Authors Publication Released IDs
Versatility of Stenotrophomonas maltophilia: Ecological roles of RND efflux pumps Chauviat A, Meyer T, Favre-Bonté S Heliyon 28-Mar-2023
PMCID:PMC10113797
doi:10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e14639
PMID:37089375
Phytogeographic Characteristics of Montane Coniferous Forests of the Central Balkan Peninsula (SE Europe) Ilić T, Kuzmanović N, Vukojičić S, Lakušić D Plants (Basel) 22-Nov-2022
PMCID:PMC9741231
doi:10.3390/plants11233194
PMID:36501234
Pulse grazing by reindeer (Rangifer tarandus) can increase the phylogenetic diversity of vascular plant communities in the Fennoscandian tundra Gibson K, Olofsson J, Mooers AØ, Monroe MJ Ecol Evol 07-Oct-2021
PMCID:PMC8571604
doi:10.1002/ece3.8131
PMID:34765128
Molecular characterization and genetic diversity of four undescribed novel oleaginous Mortierella alpina strains from Libya Muftah Eltariki FE, Tiwari K, Alhoot MA F1000Res 07-Sep-2021
PMCID:PMC8564746
doi:10.12688/f1000research.70644.1
PMID:34745563
Short photoperiod attenuates CO2 fertilization effect on shoot biomass in Arabidopsis thaliana Dhami N, Cazzonelli CI Physiol Mol Biol Plants 16-Mar-2021
PMCID:PMC8055755
doi:10.1007/s12298-021-00968-6
PMID:33967465
A Phylogenomic Perspective on Evolution and Discordance in the Alpine-Arctic Plant Clade Micranthes (Saxifragaceae) Stubbs RL, Folk RA, Xiang CL, Chen S, Soltis DE, Cellinese N Front Plant Sci 07-Feb-2020
PMCID:PMC7020907
doi:10.3389/fpls.2019.01773
PMID:32117341
Long-term warming results in species-specific shifts in seed mass in alpine communities Zhang C, Ma Z, Zhou H, Zhao X PeerJ 31-Jul-2019
PMCID:PMC6679644
doi:10.7717/peerj.7416
PMID:31396451
Dataset on reproductive traits of Scandinavian alpine plants Bruun HH Data Brief 12-Jun-2019
PMCID:PMC6598830
doi:10.1016/j.dib.2019.104149
PMID:31297428
Subsampling reveals that unbalanced sampling affects Structure results in a multi-species dataset Meirmans PG Heredity (Edinb) 19-Jul-2018
PMCID:PMC6460757
doi:10.1038/s41437-018-0124-8
PMID:30026534
Between semelparity and iteroparity: Empirical evidence for a continuum of modes of parity Hughes PW Ecol Evol 07-Sep-2017
PMCID:PMC5648687
doi:10.1002/ece3.3341
PMID:29075446
Landscape metrics as functional traits in plants: perspectives from a glacier foreland Sitzia T, Dainese M, Krüsi BO, McCollin D PeerJ 31-Jul-2017
PMCID:PMC5541930
doi:10.7717/peerj.3552
PMID:28785514
Long-distance plant dispersal to North Atlantic islands: colonization routes and founder effect Alsos IG, Ehrich D, Eidesen PB, Solstad H, Westergaard KB, Schönswetter P, Tribsch A, Birkeland S, Elven R, Brochmann C AoB Plants 14-May-2015
PMCID:PMC4432000
doi:10.1093/aobpla/plv036
PMID:25876627
Broad-scale adaptive genetic variation in alpine plants is driven by temperature and precipitation MANEL S, GUGERLI F, THUILLER W, ALVAREZ N, LEGENDRE P, HOLDEREGGER R, GIELLY L, TABERLET P Mol Ecol 10-Jun-2012
PMCID:PMC4003392
doi:10.1111/j.1365-294X.2012.05656.x
PMID:22680783
Genetic consequences of climate change for northern plants Alsos IG, Ehrich D, Thuiller W, Eidesen PB, Tribsch A, Schönswetter P, Lagaye C, Taberlet P, Brochmann C Proc Biol Sci 04-Jan-2012
PMCID:PMC3311896
doi:10.1098/rspb.2011.2363
PMID:22217725
Among-population variation in costs of reproduction in the long-lived orchid Gymnadenia conopsea: an experimental study Sletvold N, Ågren J Oecologia 10-May-2011
PMCID:PMC3172413
doi:10.1007/s00442-011-2006-0
PMID:21556943

Phytochemical Profile Top

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Below are displayed the proven (via scientific papers) natural compounds!
You can also contribute to this by clicking here.
Name PubChem ID Canonical SMILES MW Found in Proof
> Hydrocarbons / Unsaturated hydrocarbons / Branched unsaturated hydrocarbons
(1S,4Z,8R)-5,9,9-trimethyl-2-methylidenebicyclo[6.2.0]dec-4-ene 18502770 Click to see CC1=CCC(=C)C2CC(C2CC1)(C)C 190.32 unknown via CMAUP database
> Lipids and lipid-like molecules / Prenol lipids / Monoterpenoids / Bicyclic monoterpenoids
(+)-Isoborneol 6973640 Click to see CC1(C2CCC1(C(C2)O)C)C 154.25 unknown via CMAUP database
alpha-Pinene, (+)- 82227 Click to see 136.23 unknown via CMAUP database
D-Borneol 6552009 Click to see 154.25 unknown via CMAUP database
Isoborneol 6321405 Click to see CC1(C2CCC1(C(C2)O)C)C 154.25 unknown via CMAUP database
> Lipids and lipid-like molecules / Prenol lipids / Sesquiterpenoids
Caryophyllene 5281515 Click to see CC1=CCCC(=C)C2CC(C2CC1)(C)C 204.35 unknown via CMAUP database
Humulene 5281520 Click to see 204.35 unknown via CMAUP database
> Lipids and lipid-like molecules / Prenol lipids / Sesquiterpenoids / Elemane sesquiterpenoids
Beta-Elemene 6918391 Click to see 204.35 unknown via CMAUP database
> Lipids and lipid-like molecules / Prenol lipids / Terpene glycosides / Triterpene glycosides / Triterpene saponins
(5R,8R,9S,10R,13R,14R,17S)-17-[(2R,5S)-5-(2-hydroxypropan-2-yl)-2-methyloxolan-2-yl]-4,4,8,10,14-pentamethyl-1,2,5,6,7,9,11,12,13,15,16,17-dodecahydrocyclopenta[a]phenanthren-3-one 40884713 Click to see 458.70 unknown via CMAUP database
Ocotillol I 101967086 Click to see CC1(C2CCC3(C(C2(CCC1O)C)CCC4C3(CCC4C5(CCC(O5)C(C)(C)O)C)C)C)C 460.70 unknown via CMAUP database
> Lipids and lipid-like molecules / Prenol lipids / Triterpenoids
(+)-Erythrodiol 101761 Click to see 442.70 unknown via CMAUP database
(1S,2R,4aS,6aR,6aS,6bR,8aR,9R,10R,11R,12aS,14bS)-10,11-dihydroxy-9-(hydroxymethyl)-1,2,6a,6b,9,12a-hexamethyl-13-oxo-1,2,3,4,5,6,6a,7,8,8a,10,11,12,14b-tetradecahydropicene-4a-carboxylic acid 69624247 Click to see 502.70 unknown via CMAUP database
(1S,2R,4aS,6aR,6aS,6bR,8aS,9R,10R,11R,12aR,14bS)-10,11-dihydroxy-9-(hydroxymethyl)-1,2,6a,6b,9,12a-hexamethyl-2,3,4,5,6,6a,7,8,8a,10,11,12,13,14b-tetradecahydro-1H-picene-4a-carboxylic acid 51531959 Click to see 488.70 unknown via CMAUP database
Alphitolic acid 12305768 Click to see CC(=C)C1CCC2(C1C3CCC4C(C3(CC2)C)(CCC5C4(CC(C(C5(C)C)O)O)C)C)C(=O)O 472.70 unknown via CMAUP database
Arjunolic acid 73641 Click to see CC1(CCC2(CCC3(C(=CCC4C3(CCC5C4(CC(C(C5(C)CO)O)O)C)C)C2C1)C)C(=O)O)C 488.70 unknown via CMAUP database
Asiatic Acid 119034 Click to see 488.70 unknown via CMAUP database
Dipterocarpol 441676 Click to see 442.70 unknown via CMAUP database
Dryobalanone 12309393 Click to see 458.70 unknown via CMAUP database
Hederagenin 73299 Click to see CC1(CCC2(CCC3(C(=CCC4C3(CCC5C4(CCC(C5(C)CO)O)C)C)C2C1)C)C(=O)O)C 472.70 unknown via CMAUP database
Maslinic Acid 73659 Click to see 472.70 unknown via CMAUP database
Methyl oleanonate 10695622 Click to see 468.70 unknown via CMAUP database
Oleanolic Acid 10494 Click to see 456.70 unknown via CMAUP database
Oleanonic Acid 12313704 Click to see 454.70 unknown via CMAUP database

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