j>48 SAXIFRAGEiE. [Saxifraga. 



Sect. IV. Micranthes. Tausch. — Seringe^ in De Cand, Prodr. 



20. S, nivalis; foliis ovatis obovatlsve coriuceis crenutls in petiolum latum attenuatis, 

 scapo nudo, floribus capitatis sessilibus, capitulis rarius ramosis, ovario seminifero, segmentis 

 calycinis erectis obtiisis, petalis persistentibus obovatis albis calyce vix tlimidio longioribus. 

 a. floribus dense capitatis. Liim. Sp. PL p, 573. EngL Bot L 440. Pursh, FL Am. v. 1. 

 p. 310. Br, in Parry's 2d Voy. App, p, cclxxv, Do7i, Saxifr, in Linn. Trans, r. 13. 

 p. 387. Seringe, in De Cand. Prodr. v. 4. p. 38. — jB, capitulis laxis ramosis. 



Hab. Arctic Sea-shore and Islands, abundant. Rocky Mountains. Drummond. Labrador and Canada. 

 (Pifrsli.^ — The American specimens of this plant, it must be acknOT\'ledg-ed, are very variable, and in many 

 instances so closely approach some of the varieties of the following species, that we find it difficult 

 to distinguish them. The present is best recognised by its stiff and rigid habit, by the broad persistent 

 petals, which, remaining amongst the deep purple capsules, form a singular contrast with them. Mr. Brown 

 observes, that the *S'. longiscapa of Don, scarcely differs from the variety of S. nivalis with a simple few- 

 flowered corymb, figured by Linnaeus in the Flora Lapponica, (t. 2. f. 5.) 



21. S, vernalis ; foliis oblongis obovatis ve submembranaceis nervosis profunda crenato- 

 dentatis in petiolum latum attennatis, scapo nudo, floribus paniculato-corymbosis ovario 

 fere omnino supero, segmentis calycinis erectis obtusis, petalis oblongo-obovatis calyce plus- 

 quam duplo longioribus. — a. floribus laxe paniculatis, scapo longiore. — S. vemalis. Willd. 

 Hort. Berol. t 43. Bigel. Fl. Bost. p. 177. — S. Virginiensis. Torrey, FL Un. St. v. L 

 p. 44. — /3. floribus compactis subthyrsoideis. — 7, gracilis, corymbo laxo subpaucifloro. — S. 

 elongata. Sternb. Saxifr. p. 9. t. 4- 



Hab. ot. and y. Canada, and to the Mountains. Lady DalJiousie. W. Sheppard^ Esq. Dr. Richardson. 

 Drummond. — «. On the Columbia, and from Fort Vancouver to the Kettle Falls. Doitglas. — ^3. Saskat- 

 chawan. Dr. Richardson and Mr. Drummond. Canada. W. Sheppard^ Esq. Mrs. Perceval. — Although 

 Willdenow, in describing his S. vemalis, considered it to be identical with the S. Virginiensis of Michaus, 

 we are inclined to a different opinion : the arrangement of the flowers in the panicle being very different in 

 the two : in the present they form an imperfect corymb or a thyrsus : in S. Virginiensis^ as is well described 

 by Michaux, the branches of the panicle have sessile and alternate, and somewhat unilateral flowers. 

 It is our variety &. which in its general aspect bears so considerable a resemblance to S. nivalis; but the 

 leaves are of a less coriaceous texture; the flowers are, almost the whole of them, more or less distinctly 

 pedicellate; the petals are longer and narrower, and a much smaller portion of the ovary is adherent ^ith 

 the tube of the calyx. 



22. S. Virginiensis; foliis ovatis coriaceo-mcmbranaceis profunde crenato-dentatis in 

 petiolum latum attenuatis, scapo nudo superne dichotome paniculato, ramis elongatis ascen- 

 dentibus, floribus spicato-racemosis unilateralibus, ovario libero, segmentis calycinis erectis 

 obtusis, petalis oblongis calyce plusquam duplo longioribus. — Mick. FL Am. v.\. p. 269. 

 Pursh, FL Am. r. 1. j^. 310, Elliott, CaroL v. l.p. 311. Torrey, FL Un. SL v. I. p. 444. 

 Bon, Saxifr. in Linn, Trans, v. 13. p. 386. Seringe, in Be Cand, Prodr. v. 4>. p. 39. 



IL\B, -Saskatchawan. Dr. Richardson and Drummond. Near Montreal. Dr. Holmes, — This we consi- 

 der, from Michaux*s description, to be his S. Virginiensis, and there is something so remarkable in the 

 arrangement of the flowers upon the panicle, resembling that of Penthorium sedoides, that we cannot at 

 present but consider it to be distinct from *S. vernalis. Future observations, however, may prove it to be 

 a variety. It appears to have been found very sparingly during Captain Sir John Franklin's journey, and 

 only upon the Saskatchawan. We have received it from the United States, in two or three instances and 

 from Canada, mixed with 5. vemalis. 



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