ORPINE 157 



the plant can subsist removed from the soil. Its root is large and 

 tuberous, not fibrous. The purple colour is also characteristic. The 

 calyx and corolla have the parts in fives, the former acute, the petals 

 white below. The ovaries are furrowed. 



Cultivated, this plant may reach 3 ft. in height, but is usually 

 less, or about 2 ft. The period of flowering is between July and 

 September. The plant is perennial. 



The flowers are proterandrous, small, but bright and conspicuous, and 

 visited by numerous insects. The flower possesses honey, which can 

 be obtained by short-lipped insects. The stamens open inwards. The 

 first five alternate with the petals, and the inner series is soon covered 

 with pollen. The styles are acute, and stigmatic papillae are developed 

 upon them after the stamens have withered. The petals and the 

 stamens become widespread. Self-pollination does not occur without 

 insects' visits, even when the anthers are stored with pollen when the 

 stigmas ripen. The nectaries are at the points of the long scales, 

 hidden under the ovaries at the base of the petals. Insects touch 

 either the stamens or stigmas of many flowers, and cross-pollinate 

 them by their proterandrous condition. 



Self-pollination occurs only in old flowers with pollen on the anthers 

 when the stigmas ripen. Owing to the flowers being closely packed 

 the plant can dispense with self-pollination. It is visited by Boinbus 

 canipestris, B. sylvarum, B. agrorum, B. lapidarius, Halictus zonatus, 

 Allantus, Echinomyia. 



The follicle is many -seeded, and the seeds are dispersed by the 

 wind when the fruit is dry and opens above. 



This plant grows on rocky slopes, and is partly rupestral like 

 Cotyledon, but is also a sand-loving plant, and flourishes on a sand 

 soil. 



A moth, Hyponomenta viginti-punctatns, and abroad Parnassius 

 Apollo feed on it. 



Sedum, Pliny, is from the Latin scdco, \ sit, from its squatting on 

 rocks. Tclephium, Dioscorides, is from Telcphus, son of Hercules, 

 King of Mysia. Orpine is a contraction of orpiment, a yellow 

 mineral. 



Orpine is also called Alpine Broklimbe, Arpent or Arpent-weed, 

 Harping Johnny, Jacob's Ladder, Lib-long, Livelong, Midsummer 

 Men, Orphan John, Orpies, Orall, Solomon's Puzzles. Arpent, &c., 

 is a variant of Orpine, and Harping is probably a corruption of the 

 same. As to the name Livelong, Lyte says: "The people of the 

 country delight much to set it in pots and shelles on Midsomer even, or 



