DIV. n 



ANGIOSPERMAE 



659 



Family 2. Saxifragaceae. Herbs or woody plants with hermaphrodite, 

 obdiplostemouous flowers. Fruit a capsule or a berry formed of two carpels and 

 containing an indefinite number of albuminous seeds. Saxifraga, Saxifrage, small 

 herbaceous plants which are especially numerous on crags and rocky ground in 



lite. 



FIG. 



..<! urn Tdephium. 

 (x 4, 



a, Flower ; 6, flower in longitudinal section. 

 After H. SCHESCK.) 



mountainous districts. They have a rosette of radical leaves and bear numerous 

 pentamerous flowers grouped in various types of inflorescence. The two partially 

 inferior carpels are distinct from one another above. Parnassia palustris is common 

 on wet moors, pentamerous flower with 4 carpels. One whorl of stamens modified 



FIG. 691. Ribes rubrum. ( nat. size.) 



into palmately-divided staminodes, which serve as nectaries. The species of Ribes 

 have an inferior ovary which develops into a berry, and on this account are 

 commonly cultivated. R. rubrum (Fig. 691), Red Currant, R. nigrum, Black 

 Currant, R. grossularia, Gooseberry. Other Saxifragaceae are favourite ornamental 

 plants, e.g. Ribes aureum and R. sanguineum, Hydrangea, Philadelphus, and 

 Deutzia. 



