Alternate-leaved Golden-saxifrage Target Monads 2023

Alternate-leaved Golden-saxifrage (Chrysosplenium alternifolium) target monads.

Another spring challenge - find Chrysosplenium alternifolium in these 1km squares.

This is more of a challenge. In order to take part you should be familar with the common relative, Opposite-leaved Golden-saxifrage, as this species often grows with it.

The flowers are a little more showy but that is not the way to identify it.

Normally the flowering stem for "Alternate-leaved"; will have one single leaf on it.

The critically different feature is that the basal leaves are hairier and a different shape.

See Alternate-leaved basal leaves here: FloralImages ALGS leaves.

Opposite-leaved basal leaves are here: FloralImages OLGS leaves.

They often grow together, in which case the OLGS is almost always dominant.

They do not hybridize. ALGS can also occur under damp rocks in shady outcrops but concentrate on OLGS habitat.

(Many OLGS sites though have no ALGS!)

The "wildcard" squares are suggestions for areas that have never had a record but do have OLGS.

Suggested search period: mid April to mid August. Update 31st Jan: Jenny has just sent a photo of leaves in snow taken a week ago, so the hunt can start earlier if you are confident.

Results: All records to me please with grid reference, if possible, but certainly the square it was found in; date found; a picture is always welcome and I will post them here.

Note that the Monad name is simply that, not an indication of the place where the species is located.

Links on the grid references for monads will take you to OS Maps at the right spot but on their "standard" free to use map.

The Google Maps link takes you to the centre of the monad on that map app.