Alternate-leaved golden-saxifrage Chrysosplenium alternifolium

Features

Habitat: shady and moist forests, floodplain forests, along streams. Characteristic of moist to swampy places in forests in spring. In some parts of Europe, it has declined due to intensive forest management. The young leaves are suitable for salads, in some places the plant is used in traditional medicine.

Species	Perrenial
Living space	Dark forest, River edge, Streams, Wet site
Size	15-20 cm

Description

Alternate-leaved golden-saxifrage is a perennial, mat-forming plant with trailing stems growing to a height of 5 to 20 cm. The fragile three-sided stems are hairy on the lower parts of the plant but smooth above. The alternately arranged leaves are stalked, broad and kidney-shaped with a few rounded shallow teeth and a few hairs. The flowers are surrounded by yellowish-green bracts and have down-turned yellowish-green sepals but no petals. The central flower in the corymb has five lobes and the others four lobes. There are eight stamens and two styles which are fused at the base. The fruit is a bowl-shaped lidded capsule.