E-Flora BC: Electronic Atlas of the Flora of British Columbia

Lithophragma glabrum Nutt.
smooth fringecup (bulbous woodland-star; smooth woodland star)
Saxifragaceae (Saxifrage family)

Introduction to Vascular Plants

© Adolf Ceska  Email the photographer   (Photo ID #5822)

E-Flora BC Static Map
Distribution of Lithophragma glabrum
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Species Information

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General:
Perennial herb from slender rhizomes, with small bulblets; stems erect, 5-25 cm tall, lightly to heavily glandular-hairy throughout, the hairs usually purple-tipped.
Leaves:
Basal leaves round to kidney-shaped, 1-2 cm wide, palmately cleft to the base into (3) 5 segments, these again 3-lobed, smooth or sparsely hairy, often with bulblets in axils; stalks slender, 1-2.5 cm long, with widened stipular bases; stem leaves usually 2, similar to basal or with narrower segments.
Flowers:
Inflorescence a 2- to 5-flowered cluster; petals pinkish or purplish-tinged, 5, clawed, the blades wedge egg-shaped, to 8 mm long, usually 5-cleft, the segments often again deeply divided; calyces bell-shaped, 3-4 mm long (up to 6 mm long in fruit), joined to ovary to about 1 mm, the free hypanthium spreading slightly; calyx lobes 5, triangular, 0.5-1 mm long, tips blunt to rounded; stamens 10.
Fruits:
Capsules; seeds brownish, about 0.5 mm long, with tiny spines.

Source: The Illustrated Flora of British Columbia

Habitat / Range

Mesic to dry coastal bluffs, meadows, open coniferous and deciduous forests, grasslands and shrublands in the lowland and steppe to subalpine zones; frequent in S BC; E to SK and S to SD, CO, UT, NV and CA.

Source: The Illustrated Flora of British Columbia

Ecology

Ecological Framework for Lithophragma glabrum

The table below shows the species-specific information calculated from
original data (BEC database) provided by the BC Ministry of Forests and Range.
(Updated August, 2013)

Site Information
Value / Class

Minimum

Average

Maximum

Elevation (metres) 365 904 2074
Slope Gradient (%) 0 38 88
Aspect (degrees)
[0 - N; 90 - E; 180 - S; 270 - W]
30 34 360
Soil Moisture Regime (SMR)
[0 - very xeric; 4 - mesic;
8 - hydric]
0 3 5
Modal Nutrient Regime
Class
C
Number of field plots
 species was recorded in:
38
Modal BEC Zone Class
BG
All BEC Zones (# of stations/zone) species was recorded in: AT(2), BG(16), ESSF(1), IDF(8), MS(2), PP(7), SBS(2)

Climate

The climate type for this species, as reported in the: "British Columbia plant species codes and selected attributes. Version 6 Database" (Meidinger et al. 2008), is not evaluated, unknown or variable.

Synonyms and Alternate Names

Lithophragma bulbiferum Rydb.
Lithophragma glabrum var. bulbiferum (Rydb.) Jeps.
Lithophragma glabrum var. ramulosum (Suksd.) B. Boivin

Taxonomic and Nomenclatural Links

Additional Photo Sources

General References