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Project Noah Nature School
Saxifraga oppositifolia
A cold weather specialist found all over the Arctic that grows in low-lying creeping "clumps" on the ground. It has been found on Kaffeklubben Island, Greenland at 83°40'N, the most northerly point a plant has been found in the world. The leaves and flowers are quite small, but the plants can cover quite vast areas of ground. Does not fare well in warmer climates.
Found in the high Arctic, but can also grow in cold, mountainous areas further south like British Highlands, the Alps and the Rocky Mountains.
I found these plants at Ny-Alesund, Spitsbergen in the Svalbard archipelago. They seemed pretty happy on the scrubby tundra, as they were growing everywhere. We were not allowed to leave the roads or footpaths in Ny-Alesund because all the rest of the ground was considered a nature sanctuary, so this plant was growing next to a footpath.
Spotted on Jun 20, 2012
Submitted on Jul 15, 2012
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