4. Heuchera micrantha Douglas ex Lindley, Edwards’s Bot. Reg. 15: plate 1302. 1830.
Crevice alum-root
Herbs caulescent; caudex branched. Flowering stems 6-57 cm, short to long stipitate-glandular or glabrous, viscid. Leaves: petiole glabrous or sparsely to densely short to long stipitate-glandular; blade orbic-ulate to polygonal, shallowly to deeply 5-7(-9)-lobed, 2.5-10 cm, base cordate, lobes rounded, margins dentate, apex rounded or obtuse, surfaces glabrous or short to long stipitate-glandular, viscid. Inflorescences diffuse. Flowers: hypanthium radially symmetric, free to 1.5 mm, greenish white, often tinged with red, obconic to hemispheric, broadly turbinate, or campanulate, 1-4.9 mm, long stipitate-glandular, sometimes short stipitate-glandular proximally; sepals spreading to nearly erect, green- or red-tipped, equal, 0.5-1.8 mm, apex rounded to acute or mucronate; petals often coiled, white or pale pink, oblanceolate, (narrowly clawed), unlobed, 1.6-3.3 mm (2-3 times as long as sepals), margins entire; stamens exserted to 3 mm; styles exserted to 2.5 mm, 0.2-4.2 mm, to 0.1 mm diam. Capsules ovoid, 3-8.5 mm, beaks divergent, not papillose. Seeds black, broadly ellipsoid, (not curved), 0.5-0.8 mm.
Varieties 5 (5 in the flora): w North America.
The Skagit Indians rubbed pounded plants of Heuchera micrantha on hair to make it grow and applied it to cuts. The Thompson Indians used a mashed poultice of this root mixed with Douglas fir pitch for wounds. Chewed leaves and roots were spat on sores or wounds. Infusions of roots were taken for liver trouble and sore throat. Small, peeled, cleaned root pieces were chewed for mouth sores and gum boils (D. E. Moerman 1998).
