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Tas, 6068. 
CRASSULA SAXIFRAGA. 
Native of South Africa. 
Nat. Ord. CrassuLACEm. 
Genus Crassuta, Linn. ; (Benth. § Hook. f. Gen. Pl., vol. i. p. 657). 
Crassuta (Tuberosa) Sazxifraga ; glaberrima, radice tuberoso, caule brevi- 
usculo simplici v. ramoso, foliis paucis amplis oppositis breviter petio- 
latis orbiculatis subreniformibusve coriaceo-carnosis lobulatis, lobulis 
crenulatis subtus sanguineis v. viridibus, pedunculis terminalibus 
elongatis gracilibus, cymis parvis multifloris corymbosis, sepalis 5 ovatis 
dorso infra apicem glandulosis petalis ovato-oblongis acutis ter brevio- 
ribus, squamis hypogynis minutis, carpellis oblongis in stylos recto 
breviusculos attenuatis. 
Crassuta Saxifraga, Harv. in Harv. & Sond. Flor. Cap., vol. ii. p. 357. 
For this very singular and brilliantly coloured S. African 
plant the Royal Gardens are indebted to Principal MacOwan, 
of Gill College, Somerset East, who transmitted tubers of it 
from that district, which flowered in June of the present year. 
It would seem to have a wide South African distribution, being 
found on mountain sides from the extreme south-west, as on 
the Muysenberg mountain, near Simon’s bay, to Port Elizabeth 
and Albany. It is nearly allied to C. Septas, Thunb., which 
is a small plant, with fewer very much larger umbellate long- 
pedicelled flowers that have six to nine narrow petals. The 
Septas globifera of this Magazine (Tab. nost. 1472), which 
Harvey has considered to be a luxuriant garden state of 
C. Septas, is much nearer and may be a variety of this, but 
has, according to the plate, usually 6-merous flowers, and 
smaller leaves, more cuneate at the base. Judging from 
dried specimens, Drege’s Septas capensis L. a. 1s C. Sawifraga. 
The brilliant red colouring of the under-surface of the leat 1s 
not a constant character. 
Descr. Whole plant quite glabrous. Root tuberous, as large 
as a hazel nut, or even walnut. Stem two to four inches high, 
NOVEMBER Ist, 1873. 
