Saxifraga. SAXIFRAGACEiE. 663 



anthers 1-celled, 2-valved. Ovary of 2 nearly distinct carpels, tapering into 

 very short styles, dehiscent longitudinally witliin. Seeds numerous, ascend- 

 ing, scobiform ; the testa loose, elongated and subulate at both ends, includ- 

 ing tlie oval nucleus. — An herb, with somewhat the habit of Pyrola. Leaves 

 coriaceous, persistent, obovate, serrate, crowded at the base of the nearly 

 naked scape : petioles dilated and sheathing at tlie base. Flowers racemose- 

 paniculate. 



L. pyrolifolia (R. Brown ! 1. c.) — L. pyrolifolia & araplexifolia, Seringe! 

 in DC. prodr. 4. ^>. 48. Saxifraga pyrolifoha, Don ! Saxifr. in Linn, trans. 

 13. p. 389. S. amplexifolia, Stcrnb. rev. Saxifr. suppl. p. 2, t. 2. 



N. W. Coast : Unalaschka, Mr. Nelson ! Chamisso I Bchring's Straits, 

 Menzies ! and on the west side of tlie Rocky Mountains in about lat. 52°, 

 Drummond, Douglas ! Also in Kamtschatka. — Stem short, ascending, mostly 

 simple, clotlied with tlie membranaceous sheadiing bases of the jjetioles. 

 Leaves elliptical-obovate, with oblique veins, very smooth and shining 

 above, pale beneath. Scape 8-16 inches high, rigid, a little pubescent or 

 glandular towards tlie summit. Flowers small. Petals linear, scarcely 

 longer than the calyx, white. 



2. SAXIFRAGA. Linn. ; R. Br. in Parry's 1st voy. sujypl. p. 273. 



Calyx free, or coherent with the base of the ovary ; the sepals 5, more or 

 less united, imbricate in aestivation. Petals 5, inserted on the tube of tlie 

 calyx, entire. Stamens 10, or very rarely 5 : anthers 2-celled, opening 

 longitudinally. Styles 2 (rarely 3, or even 4-6) : stigmas slightly capitate 

 or truncate. Capsule (adnate to the calyx below, or free) of 2, or sometimes 

 more, more or less united (rarely almost distinct) carpels, 2-beaked, 2-celled 

 below, many-seeded, opening by a roundish hole between the diverging 

 beaks. Seeds smooth or rugose ; the testa conformed to the nucleus. — Peren- 

 nial (rarely annual) herbs. Radical leaves usually rosulate; the cauline 

 mostly alternate. Peduncles 1-many-flowered. 



§ 1. Caudex perennial., l^ofy - leaves opposite, persistent, thickened towards 

 the apex and punctate with 1-3 impressed dots or pores, the cilia not articu- 

 lated : flowering stems annual, peduncle-like : sepals coherent to the middle, 

 erect. — Porphyrion, Tausch. 



, 1. S. oppositifolia (Linn.) : leaves of the sterile branches imbricated in 4 

 rows, or rarely remote, obovate, carinate, ciliate, obtuse or obliquely truncate 

 at the apex, and generally perforated by 1-3 small pores ; flowers solitary ; 

 calyx free from the ovary ; stamens shorter than the large obovate (lilac- 

 colored) 5-nervcd petals; seeds rugose. — Linn.! spec. 1. p. 402, Sf fl. Lapp, 

 t. 2, /. 1 ; Fl. Dan. t. 34 ; Engl. bot. t. 9 ; Pursh ! fl. 1. p. 311 ; Don ! 

 Saxifr. in Linn, trans. 13. p. 400 ; Seringe ! in DC. prodr. 4. p. 17 ; Hook. ! 

 fl. Bor.-Ani. 1. p. 243. S. retusa, Sternb. in Linnaa, 6. p. 556. Anti- 

 phylla spathulata. Haw. enum, Saxifr. p. 45. 



Newfoundland ! Labrador ! and the Island of Anticosti ! to the shores of 

 the Arctic Sea! west to the Rocky Mountains! (lat. 52°-5G°) and to 

 Kotzebue's Sound. — Plant purplish. Flowers occasionally white. 



