SILEXE. 



diyum, but that the leaves are vary finely long and narrow, grey with 

 down, lying laxly out on the ground in wide star-fish rosettes of un- 

 equalled delicacy ; round these rosettes, all through the summer, 

 spring countless .-".ems of 2 inches or so, each carrying one enormous 

 gaping flower of the softest and truest pink, with white rays from the 

 throat in a secondary star, and the petals so deeply cut into long narrow 

 pointed lob.s, that the blossoms seem to have ten beautiful long fringy 

 petals standing out in a regular eatherine-wheel like some enormous 

 Semper vivum flower of steadied flame and purified rose-pink. The 

 only enemy of this plant is excessive damp in winter ; for sunny and 

 well-drained places, or suitable moraine, it is one of the most important 

 prizes ever brought over, and, though now it roars upon us as a novelty, 

 first introduced in 18? 



milis should be as valuable as the last when it comes to hand. 

 It hves in the high schistose screes on Tufandagh in the Eastern 

 Caucasus, and may be pictured as a smaller, tidier version of S. Sch'ifta. 



8. Keiskei is a Japanese species, approaching to the flopping habit 

 of the Americans. It has weakly narrow leaves and ample handsome 

 stars of well-coloured flowers, with the petals cloven in rounded lobes 

 not quite to half their length. 



8. Kitaibeli is like 8. Saxifraga, but taller and more graceful in 

 habit. 



8. laciniata comes from California, and gives an idea of the glory 

 seed by 8. calif arnica, to which it is declared inferior. It has a 

 deep central stock, that must be planted in light rich soil in a warm 

 place, very deep and perfectly drained ; this emits a certain number of 

 narrow leaves, and a few quite weakly flopping stems of 8 or 10 inches, 

 carrying on their branches all through the summer enormous flat and 

 double -pointed rayed stars of flaming vermilion. Like all this group 

 it has a feeble constitution in England, to match its feebleness of stem 

 (which prevents it from ever producing any unanimous effect of flower), 

 and the best way of making sure of it is to save the seed with diligence 

 each season. 



8. Lerchenfelduma is a smooth and blue-grey little plant of decum- 

 bent habit, and the highest attractions, which may be seen trailing 

 about in the cliffs of the Balkans, and throwing forth a perennial pro- 

 fusion of charming clear pink stars on graceful and delicate stems 

 throughout the summer. 



ts white flowers on 6-inch stems in summer. 



8. m our own Sea-Campion, from the coasts and high- 



alpine inland cliffs. It is quite easy to grow, and, in fact, inclined to 

 bow itself too freely in the garden : for. though its leafy blue-grey stems 



362 



