Oslo Saxifrage
Latin: Saxifraga osloënsis (Knaben)
Svenska: Hällebräcka
Deutsch: Steinbrech (Saxifraga)
The hybrid
Oslo saxifrage is a plant only found in Scandinavia. This particular species arose from a crossing between rue-leaved saxifrage (Saxifraga tridactylites) and wedgeleaf saxifrage (Saxifraga adscendens).
This species looks like rue-leaved saxifrage in its long flower stalks, but like the wedgeleaf in the shape of its leaves and size of its flowers.
There are not many plant or animal species that are unique to Scandiavia. This is because almost all species, people included, migrated here about 12,000 years ago as the ice sheets melted. So, for a new species to have appeared here, it must have happened after the ice age.
Oslo saxifrage is found in central Sweden, from eastern Norway to Roslagen here in Sweden. It blooms in May, and often dies back in the fall.
Photo: Emil Nilsson
Latest sightings of Oslo saxifrage in Uppland
Wikipedia article on the genus Saxifraga