CLASS X. ORDER II. J SAXIFRAGA. 607 



footstalks, kidney-shaped, lobato-crenale, those of the stem wedge- 

 shaped, acutely lobed, nearly sessile; petals obovate, oblong, much 

 longer than the calyx; root with granular bulbs. 



English Botany, t. 500. English Flora, vol. ii. p. 269. Hooker, 

 British Flora, vol. i. p. 197. Leiogyne granulata, Don. Lindley, 

 Synopsis, p. 67. 



Root fibrous, bearing numerous granular bulbs, about the size of a 

 pea. Stem erect, from six to twelve or eighteen inches high, simple, 

 rarely branched below the middle, but mostly towards the top branched 

 in a somewhat corymbose manner, round, and more or less clothed 

 with pubescence, and glutinous. Leaves from the root and lower part 

 of the stem, on long channeled footstalks, downy, and glandular, 

 kidney-shaped, crenated, or cut into acute or obtuse lobes, sometimes 

 doubly crenated, more or less downy, green above, paler beneath, or 

 tinged, of a brownish red colour, those of the stem wedge-shaped, from 

 three to five lobed, sessile, or nearly so, the upper ones and frequently 

 the scales on the branches of the panicle bear in the axis small granular 

 bulbs. Inflorescence a terminal sub-corymbose panicle, more or less 

 branched, mostly few flowered, and sometimes there is only a solitary 

 terminal one. Flowers large, white. Calyx half superior, the limb of 

 five ovate obtuse segments, somewhat spreading, and clothed with 

 glandular hairs. Petals oblong, obovate, several times longer than the 

 calyx, and marked with veins, branched in a palmated manner. 

 Stamens longer than the calyx, with slender nearly erect filaments and 

 yellow two celled anthers. Styles tapering, scarcely spreading. Stig- 

 mas large, downy. Capsule large, ovate, veiny, sub -membranous. 

 Seeds very numerous, small, brown, ovate. 



Habitat. Meadows and pastures, banks and hedges ; not unfre- 

 quent in a sandy or gravelly soil. In many parts of the South of 

 Scotland, but scarcely known in the Highlands; on ditch banks 

 between Baldoyle and Portmarnock ; Springhill, near Moneymore? 

 County of Deny, Ireland. 



Perennial ; flowering in May and June. 



This is the most .common of our Saxifrages, and grows in great 

 abundance in some parts of the country, increasing rapidly by the 

 numerous bulbs of its roots, as well as those which fall from the stem, 

 which are abortive flowers. The flowers are large, and beautifully 

 veined, and by cultivation they become very double, thus forming a 

 very pretty border flower. The derivation of the name Saxifrage we 

 have already adverted to ; and it may be further observed, that it is 

 probable that from this species it obtained its name ; for during past 

 ages, when the potency of medicines were judged of by their form and 

 appearance, and further confirmed by astrological pretensions, the 

 signature physicians were at no loss in determining, according to 

 their notions, that the granular bulbs of the roots so much resembled 

 stones, as to indicate by this means the benefit they would afford in the 

 relief, if not the cure, of the disease of stone in the bladder ! and as the 



