SAXIFRAGACE,. (SAXIFRAGE FAMILY.) 169 



Tribe IV. RIBESIE^E. Shrubs. Leaves alternate and simple, with stipules adnate 



to the petiole or wanting. Fruit a berry. 

 14. Ribes. Calyx-tube adnate to 6ie 1-celled ovary. Placentas 2, parietal, many-seeded. 



1. AS TIL BE, Don. FALSE GOATSBEARD. 



Flowers diceciously polygamous. Calyx 4-5-parted, small. Petals 4-5, 

 spatulate, small, withering-persistent. Stamens 8 or 10. Ovary 2-celled, almost 

 free, many-ovuled ; styles 2, short. Capsule 2-celled, separating into 2 follicles, 

 each ripening few seeds. Seed-coat loose and thin, tapering at each end. 

 Perennial herbs, with twice or thrice ternately-compound ample leaves, cut-lobed 

 and toothed leaflets, and small white or yellowish flowers in spikes or racemes, 

 which are disposed in a compound panicle. (Name composed of d- privative 

 and O-TIA/STJ, a bright surface, because the foliage is not shining.) 



1 . A. decandra, Don. Somewhat pubescent (3 5 high) ; leaflets 

 mostlv heart-shaped ; petals minute or wanting in the fertile flowers : stamens 

 10. Rich woods ; mountains of S. W. Va. to N. C and Ga.' Closely imitating 

 Spinea Aruncus, but coarser. 



2. SAXIFRAGA, L. SAXIFRAGE. 



Calyx either free from or cohering with the base of the ovary, 5-cleft or 

 parted. Petals 5, entire, imbricated in the bud, commonly deciduous. Sta- 

 mens 10. Styles 2. Capsule 2-beaked, 2-celled, opening down or between the 

 beaks, or sometimes 2 almost separate follicles. Seeds numerous, with a close 

 coat. Chiefly perennial herbs, with the root-leaves clustered, those of the stem 

 mostly alternate. (Name from saxum, a rock, and frango, to break ; many 

 species rooting in the clefts of rocks.) 



* Stems prostrate, in tufts, leafy ; leaves opposite ; calyx free from the capsule. 



1. S. oppositif61ia, L. (MOUNTAIN SAXIFRAGE.) Leaves fleshy, ovate, 

 keeled, ciliate, imbricated on the sterile branches (1-2" long): flowers soli- 

 tary, large ; petals purple, obovate, much longer than the 5-cleft-calyx. 

 Rocks, Willoughby Mountain, Vt., and northward. (Eu.) 



* * Stems ascending leaves alternate ; calyx coherent below with the capsule. 



2. S. rivularis, L. (ALPINE BROOK-S.) Small, stems weak, 3-5- 

 flowered; lower leaves rounded, 3- 5-lobed, on slender petioles, the upper lan- 

 ceolate; petals white, ovate Alpine region of the White Mts., to Lab. (Eu.) 



3. S. aizoides, L. (YELLOW Mo UNTAiN-S.) Low (3-5' high), in tufts, 

 with few or several corymbose flowers; leaves linear-lanceolate, entire, fleshy, 

 distantly spinulose-ciliate ; petals yellow, spotted ivith orange, oblong. N. Vt. 

 to S. W. New York, N. Mich., and northward. June. (Eu.) 



4. S. tricuspidata, Retz. Stems tufted (4 - 8' high), naked above ; flow- 

 ers corymbose , leaves oblong or spatulate, tvith 3 rigid sharp teeth at the summit ; 

 petals obovate-oblong , yellow. Shore of L. Superior, and northward. (Eu.) 



* * * Leaves clustered at the root; scape many-flowered, erect, clammy-pubescent. 



M- Petals all alike. 



5. S. Aizdon, Jacq. Scape 5 - 10' high ; leaves persistent, thick, spatulate, 

 with white cartilaginous toothed margins ; calyx partly adherent ; petals ob- 



