Spotted Saxifrage

Saxafraga bronchialis. This plant grows in the mountains of western North America, in rocky areas, and usually on rock outcroppings. The entire flower is only 3/8-inch wide, and resembles other 5-petalled white flowers (chickweed, sandwort), so it is easily overlooked. To see the spots, one must look very closely. Note that the spots begin as light yellow at the inside end of each petal, and get progressively darker toward the outer end. The narrow white structures (6 visible, 4 lying on the petals) are filaments of the stamens, but the white anthers have fallen away.

Jemez Mountains, NM.