352 PERIPETALES. 
ORDER CI. 
CRASSULACE. 
Sempervivee. 
Cuaracters.—Succulent herbs, with thick fleshy leaves, 
which are alternate or opposite, undivided or pinnatifid, 
without stipules ; calyx monosepalous, of from 3 to 20 divi-, 
sions ; corolla of as many petals as there are divisions in the 
ealyx, or monopetalous, with many divisions : stamens equal 
in number to, or twice as many as, the petals, or lobes of 
the corolla, in the latter case, one half of them being some- 
times abortive or transformed into corpuscles of various 
forms ; ovaries the same number as the petals, each 1-celled, 
and having many ovules attached to a sutural placenta placed 
at the internal side; pericarps many-seeded follicles, dehise- 
ing by a longitudinal suture. 
Exampies.—Stone-crop or Wall-Pepper (Sedum acre), 
House Leek (Sempervivum tectorum), which contains malic 
acid. ; : 
Prorerties.—The plants in this family are, in general, 
somewhat acrid, but sometimes so mild as to be fit for use as 
articles of diet. Orpine or Stone-crop (Sedum Telephium) 
is used as a salad, and the young shoots of White Stone- 
crop (Sedum album), are boiled and eaten in some parts of 
_ France Sedum acre is emetic and purgative, and has been 
recommended as an antiscorbutic. Sempervivum tectorum 
