ROYAL BOTANIC GARDENS, KEW. 
BULLETIN 
OF 
MISCELLANEOUS INFORMATION. 
No. 3.] (1911. 
XII—SAXIFRAGA LINGULATA AND 8. LANTOSCANA. 
T. A. SPRAGUE. 
Recent correspondence in the Gardeners’ Chronicle (ser. 3, 
vol. xlviil. pp. 311, 340, 371, 416, 426, 454, 474, Oct. 29-Dec. 24, 
1910) has shown that some horticulturists claim specific status for 
Saxifraga lantoscana, while others prefer to treat it as a variety of 
S. lingulata. Apart from this difference of opinion, some confusion 
has arisen as to matters of fact, and it seems desirable, therefore, 
to give an historical account of the matter. 
s the question whether a given group should be regarded as a 
variety or a distinct species depends partly on the definitions 
assigned to these terms, it may be well to state that the writer is in 
entire accordance with the views elaborated by Briquet in the 
preface to the third volume of Burnat’s Flore des Alpes Maritimes. 
As numerous intermediate forms (apart from possible hybrids) - 
undoubtedly exist between S. lingulata and S. lantoscana, the latter 
is here regarded as a variety of S. lingulata. 
It is obvious that no classification of S. lingulata and 8, lantoscana 
ean be considered satisfactory which is not based on the study of — 
all the varieties of S. lingulata, and it will therefore be necessary 
also to take into consideration S. australis, Moric. The species 
S. cochlearis, Reichb., S. catalaunica, Boiss. et Reut., and S. erustata, 
Vest., have been considered varieties of S. lingulata, but they are 
now weorgaes accorded separate rank, and their history need not be 
traced, 
Sazifraga lingulata was described in 1792 by Bellardi, Appendix 
ad Floram Pedemontanam, p. 20, from specimens collected in the 
Pesio valley, the mountains of Limone and elsewhere in Piedmont. 
As Bellardi’s work appears to be scarce, his diagnosis may be 
reproduced :— ae 
“ Sawifraga lingulata. Saxifraga foliis radicatis longissimis 
linearibus sulcatis cartilagineis integerrimis, caule folioso paniculato. 
Frequens in alpibus maritimis locis rupestribus, praecipue in valle 
(19061—6a.) Wt 118—9. 1125, 4/11, D&S, 
