é~ 
Tas. 6055. 
SEMPERVIV UM TECTORUM, VAR. ATLANTICUM. 
Native of the Greater Atlas. 
Nat. Ord. CRASSULACEE. 
Genus Sempervivoum, Linn. ; (Benth. and Hook. f. Gen. Pl., vol. i. p. 660). 
SEMPERVIVUM ftectorum, var. atlanticum; foliis rosularum obovato-oblongis 
apice breviter acuminatis utrinque breviter glanduloso- pubescentibus 
margine ciliatis caulinis oblongo-lanceolatis, superioribus cymisque 
glanduloso-pubescentibus, calyce infra medium fisso, staminibus omni- 
bus perfectis virgineis obscure viridibus, squamis hypogynis minutis- 
simis glandulosis, carpellis divergentibus toro elevato suffultis et a 
verticillis exterioribus squamis exceptis omnino discretis staminibus — 
zqui-longis. 
Sempervivum tectorum, Zinn. var. atlanticum, Ball, in Trimen. Lond. Journ. 
Bot., 1873, ined. 
The Common Houseleek is so polymorphous a plant that 
many species have been made of its various forms, which 
differ remarkably in beauty, brightness of colour, and value 
in a horticultural point of view. Of these the present 
is one of the handsomest and most distinct, so much so that 
Mr. Ball has doubtfully proposed it as a sub-species. It 
was discovered by Messrs. Ballg Maw, and myself, on rocks 
in the valley of Ait-Mesan in the Greater Atlas, at an eleva- 
tion of about 5000 feet, and flowered on the rockwork in 
Kew in June of the present year. Its bright star-like 
flowers, with white petals, having a broad ruby-coloured central 
stripe, gave it a very sparkling appearance. Like the 
Common Houseleek it is easily propagated, and should 
replace its duller coloured prototype in general estimation. 
Duscr. Rosettes three to four inches across. Leaves two 
inches long, bright green, obovate-oblong oblanceolate or 
obovate-spathulate, very shortly mucronate, more or less 
glandular-pubescent on both surfaces, margin ciliate, tips 
reddish; cauline leaves oblong-lanceolate, upper glandular-- 
pubescent, all turning a brilliant vinous red-purple as the 
flowers begin to expand. Cyme dichotomous, densely 
SEPTEMBER Ist, 1873. 
