Island in the extreme north and Behring’s Straits to the west. 
Closely allied species are found in the Himalaya. It has received 
the appropriate name of the Spider-plant from the sailors of our 
Arctic Expeditions. 
Descr. From a perpendicular, somewhat fusiform and fibrous 
bearing roof, there diverge in all directions a number of filiform 
slightly pubescent stolones, bearing gemmz or young plants at 
the extremity, which send down radicles, and thus plant a colony 
of new individuals around the parent. From the centre or top 
of this root arises a solitary, erect, leafy stem, with crowded rosu- 
late leaves at the base and more distant ones above. These are 
spathulate, spreading, the upper ones more oblong, all of them 
ciliated at the margin, the cilia glanduliferous. At the summit 
is sometimes a solitary fower ; sometimes a cluster or umbel of 
from three to five. Calye of five ciliated sepals, very much re- 
sembling the leaves in shape and texture, but smaller; equally 
glanduloso-ciliate. Petals obovate, yellow, five-nerved, shortly 
unguiculate. Stamens ten, shorter than the petals; anthers 
small, nearly globose. Ovary broad-ovate, almost entirely su- 
perior. Stigmas ciliated. W. J. H. 
Cuxr. This diminutive plant will, we fear, like most Arctic 
plants, not last long in cultivation, owing to the impracticability 
of placing it under conditions of climate similar to those of its 
native countries. It there remains, for about ten months of the 
year, in a dormant state, buried under snow; on the melting of 
which it springs immediately into growth, and, being stimulated 
by the warmth and continuous light of the sun’during the short 
Arctic summer, comes rapidly to maturity, producing flowers 
and multiplying by means of viviparous stolons. During this 
short period the soil is thawed to a depth of from eighteen inches 
to two feet, the earth below remaining in a frozen state 
throughout the year, showing that vegetable life in the Arctic . 
regions is entirely dependent upon solar influence. Such being 
the circumstances amidst which this plant lives, it should be kept 
in a state of rest during winter, which, under the influence 
of our varying temperature, is difficult: for even if this and 
other Arctic plants are placed, in winter, in what we call a cool 
temperature, we still find them in a growing state, by which 
they become weak and soon exhaust themselves. J. S. 
Fig. 1. Petal. 2. Leaf. 3. Calyx and pistil. 4. Single-flowered. var. :— 
all but f. 4 magnified. 
