MEADOW SAXIFRAGE 151 



The single white flowers are borne on flower-stalks, with 2 bracts 

 at the base, and longer than the fruit. The petals are only slightly 

 longer than the calyx. The capsule is 2-chambered, with numerous, 

 minute, blackish-brown seeds. 



This plant is about 3-6 in. in height. The flowers follow on after 

 Whitlow Grass, from April till July. Rue-leaved Saxifrage is annual. 



The flowers yield honey and are proterandrous. The stamens 

 move singly in succession towards the centre of the flower, which, 

 however, is proterogynous, the stigma ripening first. The male 

 flowers are larger and more conspicuous than the female. The 

 anthers ripen one after another and bend inwards towards the centre. 

 After they open they bend out again and cross-pollinate the flower. 

 It is visited by bees, flies, and beetles. 



The capsule is many-seeded and opens above, and having short 

 spreading beaks the seeds are scattered around, being aided by the 

 wind which sways the rigid stems, or by being touched by passing 

 animals. 



Rue-leaved Saxifrage is a sand-loving .plant loving sand soil, but 

 will also grow on lime found in the mortar of walls, calcareous rocks, 

 and elsewhere. 



The only fungus that infests it is Puccinia saxifraga, one of the 

 cluster-cups. 



No insects feed upon it. 



Saxifraga, Pliny, is from the Latin saxum, stone, frango, break, 

 meaning stone-breaker; and the second Latin name means three- 

 fingered in Greek, alluding to the trifid lobes of the upper leaves. 



The plant is called Whitlow Grass, Nailwort, White Blow. 

 Gerarde uses the first name in allusion to a supposed property it had 

 of healing disease of the nails called Whitlow, and the same reason 

 explains the second name. The Saxifrage was said to reveal witches. 



ESSENTIAL SPECIFIC CHARACTERS: 



109. Saxifraga tridactylites^ L. Stem leafy, branched, leaves 

 cuneate, trifid, flowers small, white, terminal on a separate stalk, with 

 2 bracts below. 



Meadow Saxifrage (Saxifraga granulata, L.) 



As with the Rue-leaved Saxifrage, we have no evidence as to the 

 antiquity of this plant. It is found in the North Temperate Zone in 

 Europe, W. Africa, Western Asia as far east as the Himalayas. 

 It is found in Great Britain in Somersets; in the Channel province, 



