144 JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



57. Sedum diversifolium Rose (fig. 77). 



5. diversifolium Rose in Bulletin New York Boi. Garden, 3, 44, 1903. 

 " N. Amer. Flora," 22, 73. 



A delicate, very succulent, fresh green little plant, recognized by 

 its tufted habit, annual stem crowded with shining pellucid leaves 

 very convex on both sides, and few sessile yellow flowers. The leaves 

 fall off very easily and at once form new plants from buds at the point 

 of detachment. 



Description. — A glabrous tufted perennial. Stems annual, weak, at first 

 erect, unbranched, later decumbent with a few branches, round, smooth, 4-8 

 inches long. Leaves alternate, those of the young shoots densely imbricate, 

 slightly glaucous, flat, fleshy, papillose, obovate, sessile, ^ inch long ; those of 

 the flowering shoots caducous, bright green, crowded, patent, J-i inch long, 

 very fleshy, very convex on both sides, narrower and smaller near summit. In- 

 florescence of a terminal flower with one or two on either side. Buds ovate, rather 

 acute. Flowers | inch across, pedicels short. Sepals unequal, ascending, 

 resembling the leaves. Petals clear yellow, wide-spreading, broadly lanceolate, 

 acute, twice the sepals. Stamens spreading, yellow, f the petals. Scales whitish, 

 rectangular, longer than broad. Carpels yellow, slightly spreading, shorter 

 than the stcimens. 



Flowers February-March {gentle heat) ; May (cold frame). Not 

 hardy. 



Habitat. — State of Mexico, Mexico. 



In his description of the species. Dr. Rose says that the flowers 

 are pale yellow, inconspicuous, and soUtary. In the plants he sent 

 me, and others received from New York, which have flowered at 

 Glasnevin, they are clear yellow, fairly conspicuous, and usually in 

 threes. 



The young shoots arise in winter, before the old ones have flowered, 

 so that the stems have a life of about 18 months ; but the specimens 

 observed by Dr. Rose at Washington and New York bloomed m 

 December. In the young stages they recall those of S. loftgipes. 



Named on account of the difference between the young and mature 

 leaves. 



SECTION VIL— SEDA GENUINA. 



Section Seda Genuina Koch, " Synopsis Deutsch. und Schweiz. Flora," 

 259, 1836 ; EusEDUM, Boissier, "Flor. OrientaHs," 2, 775. 



Perennial. Stems perennial, creeping or erect and sub-shrubby, 

 bearing barren and annual flowering shoots. Flowers hermaphrodite, 

 usually 5- (rarely 4- to 9-) parted. Hardy or tender. 



This section contains several well-marked groups of closely related 

 species with a defined geographical range, such as the Involucrata 

 [spurium, stoloniferum, proponiicum, Sievenianum) from the Caucasus 

 region, the SpathuhfoUa [spaihulifolium, yosemiiense, rubroglaucum, 

 Hallii, oreganum, divergens) from Western North America, the 

 Rupestria [rupesire, reflexum, altissimum, anopetalum, stenopeialum, 

 pruinatum, ampiexicaule) from Europe, with one in America ; also a 



