Three-fingered quarry

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The three-fingered quarry (Saxifraga tridactylites), also called a three-fingered quarry or finger quarry, is a plant species from the genus quarry (Saxifraga) within the family of quarrying plants (Saxifragaceae).

Description

In size, the three-fingered quarry is very variable.

Vegetative characteristics
The three-fingered quarry is an annual herbaceous plant and reaches growth heights of usually 5 to 10 (2 to 30) centimeters. It does not form an extension. The upright stem is branched loosely especially in the upper area and usually (especially in dry, sunny locations) conspicuously red. Stems, leaves and chalice leaves are set with purple-coloured, sticky glandular hairs at their upper ends and of green-redded color.

The foliage leaves are arranged in a base rosette and distributed alternately on the stem. The base leaves are short and indistinct and have already dried up at flowering time. If a leaf stem is recognizable, it is flattened and usually 2 to 10, rarely up to 23 millimeters long. The leaf spread of the base leaves is spatula-shaped or elliptical to egg-shaped at a length of 5 to 20 millimetres and a width of 1.1 to 5 millimetres. Its edge is full-edged or trilobed or incised three to seven-fold. The somewhat fleshy stem leaves are 3 to 7, rarely up to 9 millimeters long and full-edge or clearly three-lobed. The leaf flaps have an obtuse upper end. The leaf surfaces are glandularly haired to calcining and at the top are ± purple. The stem leaves gradually merge into the supporting leaves.

Generative characteristics
The flowering period runs from March or April to May or June. The inflorescence is about 15 centimeters long and is unleafed or there are one to seven, rarely up to nine support leaves. With a length of 4 to 12 millimeters and a width of 1 to 6 millimeters, the stemmed to almost seated supporting sheets are elliptical to delta-shaped and single or up to three or up to five-lobed. Few (usually one, two or three up to five or six, rarely up to twelve) or rarely up to 50 flowers are arranged loosely in a crisp branched inflorescence. The long flower stalks are two to five times as long as the corresponding flowers.

The twist or one-sex flower is radiarly symmetrical and five-fold with a double flower shell. The flower cup (hypanthium) is about 2.5 millimetres long during the anthesis and has a diameter of about 2.5 millimetres and extends slightly to fruit ripeness; it is rounded at its base or ends very suddenly. The five slightly spread or upright chalice leaves are elliptical to egg-shaped or triangular egg-shaped with an obtuse upper end at a length of 0,5 to 1, rarely 2 mm and a width of 0,7 to 1 mm; they are on the edge and on d