212 CHAPTER XXVI1L 



explorers, confirmed the Englishman's discovery ; and 

 the plant is now constantly brought in by the 

 chamois-hunters, who sell it for half-a-franc. When 

 you are fortunate enough to find a rare plant of 

 which few specimens exist, it is better not to inform 

 the general public of the exact locality, for the less 

 people know about botany, the more anxious they 

 will be to tear it up, if it be in the least degree 

 ornamental. 



If guides and shepherds once find that a plant is 

 worth sixpence, they will make havoc of the species. 

 But the Florulenta is safe from extermination, 

 growing, as it often does, on rocks which are 

 inaccessible to human foot. This rare Saxifrage has 

 a peculiarity which is not mentioned in any botanical 

 work which I possess, viz. : that the terminal flower 

 of each inflorescence has five instead of two carpels. 



Fig. 79. CASSIA. 



