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Saxifragopsis fragarioides

(Greene) Small

Strawberry Saxifrage

G3Vulnerable Found in 2 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →
G3VulnerableGlobal Rank
UnknownThreat Impact
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.130590
Element CodePDSAX17010
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVascular Plant
Endemicendemic to a single nation
KingdomPlantae
PhylumAnthophyta
ClassDicotyledoneae
OrderRosales
FamilySaxifragaceae
GenusSaxifragopsis
Synonyms
Saxifraga fragarioidesGreene
Concept Reference
Kartesz, J.T. 1994. A synonymized checklist of the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. 2nd edition. 2 vols. Timber Press, Portland, OR.
Conservation Status
Rank Method Rank calculation - Biotics v2
Review Date2026-04-22
Change Date2026-04-22
Edition Date2026-04-22
Edition AuthorsMacBryde, Bruce (2001), rev. Soteropoulos (2026)
Threat ImpactUnknown
Range Extent20,000-200,000 square km (about 8000-80,000 square miles)
Number of Occurrences21 - 80
Rank Reasons
Saxifragopsis fragarioides is a perennial herb found in rock crevices and on talus slopes. It is endemic to the western United States, primarily in the Siskiyou Mountains of northwestern California and adjacent southwestern Oregon, and disjunct to central Washington. There are approximately 50 occurrences, which face threats from road improvement projects, logging, recreational activities, fires with higher frequency and increased intensity, and climate change. Little is known about trends, and monitoring of populations should be conducted to improve our understanding of reproduction, plant abundance, threats, and trends, as well as continuing conservation measures to protect the taxon.
Range Extent Comments
Saxifragopsis fragarioides is endemic to the western United States, primarily in the Siskiyou Mountains of northwestern California (Del Norte, Humboldt, Siskiyou, and Trinity counties) and adjacent southwestern Oregon (Curry and Josephine counties), and disjunct to central Washington (Wenatchee Mountains in Chelan County) (FNA 2009, Giblin and Legler 2026, Jepson Flora Project 2026). Range extent was estimated to be over 70,000 square kilometers using herbarium specimens, photo-based observations, and NatureServe Network occurrence data documented between 1994 and 2025 (RARECAT 2025, GBIF 2026, iNaturalist 2026, NatureServe 2026, SEINet 2026).
Occurrences Comments
By applying a 1 km separation distance to herbarium specimens, photo-based observations, and NatureServe Network occurrence data documented between 1994 and 2025, it is estimated that there are approximately 50 occurrences rangewide (RARECAT 2025, GBIF 2026, iNaturalist 2026, NatureServe 2026, SEINet 2026). Occurrences on vertical rock surfaces are likely under-documented due to hazards of surveying (NatureServe 2026).
Threat Impact Comments
This species faces threats from road improvement projects, logging (though minimal impacts due to habitat), recreational activities, and fires with higher frequency and increased intensity (though rock outcrop habitat offers some protection), though there is insufficient data, including anecdotal accounts, to understand scope and severity of threats for this species rangewide (NatureServe 2026).

ORBIC (2020) assessed this species as "moderately vulnerable" to climate change, with the Climate Change Vulnerability Index, and expects its abundance and range extent to decrease by 2050.
Ecology & Habitat

Habitat

Saxifragopsis fragarioides grows in rock crevices and cracks on cliffs and rock outcrops, and on talus slopes, at middle elevations (around 500 m) in Washington, and at higher elevations (1,500-3,000 m) in the core of its range in Oregon and California (FNA 2009, Giblin and Legler 2026).

Reproduction

This species flowers from June to September (FNA 2009, Jepson Flora Project 2026).
Terrestrial Habitats
Bare rock/talus/screeCliff
Other Nations (1)
United StatesN3
ProvinceRankNative
WashingtonS2Yes
CaliforniaSNRYes
OregonS1Yes
Threat Assessments
ThreatScopeSeverityTiming
4 - Transportation & service corridorsUnknownUnknownHigh (continuing)
4.1 - Roads & railroadsUnknownUnknownHigh (continuing)
5 - Biological resource useUnknownSlight or 1-10% pop. declineHigh (continuing)
5.3 - Logging & wood harvestingUnknownSlight or 1-10% pop. declineHigh (continuing)
6 - Human intrusions & disturbanceUnknownUnknownHigh (continuing)
6.1 - Recreational activitiesUnknownUnknownHigh (continuing)
7 - Natural system modificationsUnknownUnknownHigh (continuing)
7.1 - Fire & fire suppressionUnknownUnknownHigh (continuing)
7.1.1 - Increase in fire frequency/intensityUnknownUnknownHigh (continuing)
11 - Climate change & severe weatherPervasive (71-100%)UnknownHigh (continuing)

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Plant Characteristics
DurationPERENNIAL
Economic Value (Genus)No
Roadless Areas (2)
California (2)
AreaForestAcres
RussianKlamath National Forest21,771
SnoozerKlamath National Forest23,414
References (10)
  1. Flora of North America Editorial Committee (FNA). 2009. Flora of North America north of Mexico. Vol. 8. Magnoliophyta: Paeoniaceae to Ericaceae. Oxford University Press, New York. xxiv + 585 pp.
  2. Giblin, D.E., and B.S. Legler (eds.). 2003+. WTU Image Collection Web Site: Vascular Plants, MacroFungi, & Lichenized Fungi of Washington State. University of Washington Herbarium. Online. Available: http://biology.burke.washington.edu/herbarium/imagecollection.php.
  3. Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF). 2026. Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) data portal. Online. Available: https://www.gbif.org/ (accessed 2026).
  4. iNaturalist. 2026. Online. Available: https://www.inaturalist.org (accessed 2026).
  5. Jepson Flora Project (eds.) 2026. Jepson eFlora. Online. Available: https://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/eflora/ (accessed 2026).
  6. Kartesz, J.T. 1994. A synonymized checklist of the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. 2nd edition. 2 vols. Timber Press, Portland, OR.
  7. NatureServe. 2026. NatureServe Network Biodiversity Location Data. NatureServe, Arlington, Virginia.
  8. Oregon Biodiversity Information Center (ORBIC). 2020. Climate Change Vulnerability Index assessment for Strawberry saxifrage (<i>Saxifragopsis fragarioides</i>). Institute for Natural Resources, Portland State University, Portland, OR. 2 pp.
  9. <p>NatureServe's Rapid Analysis of Rarity and Endangerment Conservation Assessment Tool (RARECAT). 2025. Version: 2.1.1 (released April 04, 2025).</p>
  10. Southwest Environmental Information Network (SEINet). 2026. Collections Databases. Online. Available: https://swbiodiversity.org/seinet/collections/index.php (accessed 2026).