CRASSULACEiE. 



Nat. syst. ed. 2. p. 1 63. 



SEMPER VI VUM. 



Calyx concave, permanent, with from 6 to 12, more or less 

 deep, uniform, fleshy, rather acute, segments. Petals as many 

 as the segments of the calyx, and somewhat larger, lanceolate, 

 acute, channelled, equal, spreading, withering. A small lacer- 

 ated scale, at the base of each carpel. Filaments as many, or 

 twice as many, as the petals, opposite to them, but not so long, 

 when more numerous, alternate, awl-shaped, spreading ; car- 

 pels as many as the stamens, oblong, pointed, compressed, each 

 terminating in a spreading style, with a blunt stigma ; when ripe 

 bursting along their inner margins. 



573. S. tectorum Linn. sp. pi. 664?. Eng. Bot. t. 1 320. Fl. 

 Lond. t. 29. DC. prodr. iii. 41 3. — Common on roofs and walls. 

 (Houseleek ; Hauslaub Germ.) 



Root fibrous, crowned with several rosaceous tufts of numerous, ob- 

 long, acute, keeled, fringed, extremely succulent leaves. Stem from 

 the centre of one of these tufts, a foot high, erect, round, downy, 

 clothed with several, more narrow, sessile, alternate leaves, and termi 

 nating in a sort of many-flowered cyme, with spiked branches. Flowers 

 large, pale rose-coloured, without scent. Segments of the calyx 12 or 

 more, with a similar number of petals, stamens and pistils. — The 

 leaves are cooling, when applied externally, and frequently renewed. 

 They possess moreover an astringent property, which is rather salutary 

 in many cases. The Dispensatory describes a beautiful white highly 

 volatile coagulum, formed of the filtrated juice of these leaves, with an 

 equal quantity of rectified spirit of wine. Smith. 



SEDUM. 



Calyx 5-parted. Petals 5. Stamens twice as many. Hypo- 

 gynous scales entire or nearly so. Carpels 5. — Succulent her- 

 baceous plants or undershrubs. 



574. S. Telephium Linn. sp. pi. 616. E.Bot. 1. 1319. Smith 

 Eng. fl. ii. 316. DC. prodr. iii. 402. — Various parts of Eu- 

 rope in fields, hedges, and bushy places. (Orpine.) 



Root of several oblong, tapering, white knobs. Herb smooth. Stems 

 2 feet high, erect, simple, leafy, round, spotted with red. Leaves scat- 

 tered, sessile, ovate, spreading, fleshy, more or less bluntly toothed or 

 serrated, with a stout midrib. Flowers crimson, rarely white, in 

 dense, corymbose, terminal or partly axillary, tufts, interspersed with 

 fleshy toothed bracts. Smith. Stamens not longer than the corolla. — 

 Refrigerant, and slightly astringent. Leaves boiled in milk are com- 

 mended in diarrhoea. 



275 T 2 



