Addisonia 29 



(Plate 207) 

 BERGENIA LIGULATA 



Fringe-leaved Saxifrage 



Native of the Himalayas 

 Family SaxifragacEab Saxifrage Family 



Saxifraga ligulata Wall. As. Res. 13: 398. 1820. 



Bergenia Ngulata Engler, in E. & P. Nat. Pfl. 3^^ 51. 1890. 



The thick-leaved saxifrages, comprising some half-dozen species 

 and several varieties, are some of our best rock garden plants, and 

 should be more widely planted. All of the species serve the same 

 purpose, and their differences are not very well-marked; but our 

 present subject and B. Stracheyi, which has pubescent calyces and 

 leaves not distinctly heart-shaped at the bases, have more attractive, 

 cleaner, and healthier leaves, and their flowering scapes when 

 mature stand well above the ground, while some other sorts remain 

 hidden amongst the leaves. B. ligulata was introduced into culti- 

 vation from Nepal in 1821, 



Propagation of these plants is best effected by division of the 

 rootstocks. As border subjects they present bold foliage eiTects, 

 but do not bloom as profusely as when grown in open rock crevices 

 or pockets in the rockery. They are hardy, and need very little 

 protection in winter. The foliage will not stand a heavy protective 

 covering in early spring, being susceptible to burning at that time. 



Our illustration was made from plants growing in the Herbaceous 

 Grounds of the New York Botanical Garden, where they have 

 flourished for several years in rock pockets. In such a location 

 they have flowered profusely, while similar plants in our open 

 flower borders seldom bloom. 



The fringe-leaved saxifrage is a plant less than one foot high, 

 spreading by thick rootstocks, from which arise leathery, smooth 

 leaves, with blades from four to eight inches long and nearly as wide, 

 orbicular to obovate in general outline, round at the ends, cordate 

 at the base, entire-margined but fringed rather heavily. The leaf- 

 stalks are nearly as long as the blades, and at their bases are widened 

 into triangular sheaths. The inflorescence is of one-sided clusters 

 on thick scapes which lengthen out as the blooming advances. The 

 pink flowers are nearly an inch in diameter, bell-shaped, with five 

 ovate calyx-lobes united at the base, five rounded clawed petals, ten 

 stamens, a two-celled ovary, and two styles. 



Kknneth R. Boynton. 



Explanation op Plate. Fig. 1 . — Inflorescence. Fig. 2. — Flower, cut open. 

 Fig. 3. — Fruit. Fig. 4. — Leaf. 



