322 



FIELD AND WOODLAND PLANTS 



globular, of a pale green colour with, often, a tinge of red. On the 

 small flowerless branches the leaves are very crowded and over- 

 lapping ; but on the taller, flowering stems they are more scattered 

 and placed alternately. The Uttle starlike flowers are white, 

 frequently tinged witli pink or spotted with red, and arranged in 

 a short, two-forked panicle. They have short, green sepals ; narrow, 

 sharply-pointed petals about twice the length ; and stamens with 

 bright red anthers. 



2. Tlie White Stonecrop (>S'. alhnm). — 

 A somewhat similar plant, from three to 

 seven inches high, sometimes seen in 

 large clusters on rocks, walls, and roofs, 

 beaiing white or pinkish flowers during 

 July and August. The whole plant is 

 smooth ; and its short creeping stock 

 gives rise to short barren stems with 

 crowded leaves, and erect flowering 

 stems with scattered 

 leaves. The leaves aie 

 very thick, of a bright 

 green colour, about a 

 thu-d of an inch long, 

 and oblong or cylin- 

 drical in form. The 

 panicles are much 

 branched, with, usually, 

 reddish stems; and 

 each consists of numer- 

 ous flowers with short, 

 blunt sepals, and nar- 

 row, oblong petals 

 about three times as 

 long. This species is not so common as either the last or the 

 following. 



3. The Biting Stonecrop or Wall Pepper {S. acre). — A smooth 

 plant, of a yellowish green colour, biting to the taste, very common 

 on rocks, walls and roofs, bearing golden yellow flowers diu-ing July 

 and August. It has short, barren stems, covered with closely- 

 overlapping leaves arranged in six rows ; and erect flowering 

 branches from two to four inches in height. The leaves are very 

 small, thick, succulent, oval or almost globular in form. The 



TUE WALL PENNyWOIlT OR ]S"A\EL\VORT. 



