I70 



SAXIFRAGE/E 



acute sepals.— OccMvs somewhat frequently in mountainous dis- 

 tricts, and is often grown in gardens.— Fl. May— July. Perennial. 



2. Chrysosplenium (Golden 

 Saxifrage). — Small succulent 

 herbs ; leaves exstipulate ; 

 jfoivers minute, green or 

 yellow, apetalous ; sepals 4 — 5, 

 obtuse, imbricate ; stamens 

 8 — 10, epigynous ; ovary in- 

 ferior, I -chambered ; styles 2 ; 

 ovules many, parietal ; fruit a 

 capsule. (Name from the 

 Greek chrusos^ golden, and 

 splen^ the spleen, probably from 

 some supposed medicinal 

 virtues.) 



1. C. oppositifdliu77i (Com- 

 mon Golden Saxifrage). — A 

 small aquatic plant about 2 — 6 

 in. high, with a creeping stem, 

 rooting below ; leaves bright 

 green, opposite, orbicular ; 

 flowers minute, 4 - merous, 



yellowish green, in flat terminal 

 clusters. — Damp shady places ; 

 common. — Fl. April — July, 

 Perennial. 



2. C. alternifdliiim (Alter- 

 nate-leaved Golden Saxifrage). 

 — A very similar plant with an 

 erect stem^ alternate, reniform 

 leaves and deeper yellow 

 flowers^ grows in similar situ- 

 ations, but is less common. 

 These Httle plants sometimes 

 form a true peat. — Fl. April — 

 June. Perennial. 



3. Parnassia (Grass of Par- 

 nassus). — Glabrous herbs, with 



radical, exstipulate, entire leaves and large solitary flowers on 

 slender, erect peduncles ; sepals 5, imbricate, persistent ; petals 

 5, thick ; stamens 5, alternating with 5 staminodes ; ovary 

 superior, i -chambered ; ovules many, parietal ; stigmas 3 — 4, 



parnAssia palustris 

 {Co7n}>ion Grass o/ Parnassus). 



