Saxifraga

Saxifraga
Saxifraga cochlearis
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Order: Saxifragales
Family: Saxifragaceae
Genus: Saxifraga
Tourn. ex L. (1753)
Type species
Saxifraga granulata
Sections

See text

Synonyms
Synonyms
  • Adenogyna Raf. (1836), nom. superfl.
  • Antiphylla Haw. (1821)
  • Aphomonix Raf. (1837)
  • Boecherarctica Á.Löve (1984)
  • Chondrosea Haw. (1821)
  • Ciliaria Haw. (1821)
  • Cymbalariella Nappi (1903)
  • Dactyloides Nieuwl. (1915), nom. superfl.
  • Diptera Borkh. (1794), nom. superfl.
  • Ditriclita Raf. (1836), nom. nud.
  • Evaiezoa Raf. (1837)
  • Geryonia Schrank ex Hoppe (1818)
  • Geum Mill. (1754), nom. illeg.
  • Hirculus Haw. (1821)
  • Kingstonia Gray (1821 publ. 1822)
  • Leptasea Haw. (1821)
  • Ligularia Duval (1809), nom. superfl.
  • Lobaria Haw. (1821), nom. illeg.
  • Miscopetalum Haw. (1812)
  • Muscaria Haw. (1821)
  • Oreosplenium Zahlbr. ex Endl.(1839), pro syn.
  • Ponista Raf. (1837)
  • Robertsonia Haw. (1812)
  • Rupifraga L. ex Raf. (1837), nom. superfl.
  • Saxifragella Engl. (1891)
  • Sekika Medik. (1791)
  • Tridactylites Haw. (1821)
  • Tristylea Jord. & Fourr. (1870)
  • Tulorima Raf. (1837)
  • Zahlbrucknera Rchb. (1832)

Saxifraga is the largest genus in the family Saxifragaceae, containing about 473 species of holarctic perennial plants, known as saxifrages or rockfoils. The Latin word saxifraga means literally "stone-breaker", from Latin saxum ("rock" or "stone") + frangere ("to break"). It is usually thought to indicate a medicinal use for treatment of urinary calculi (known as kidney or bladder stones), rather than breaking rocks apart.