Saxifraga.-] XXXII. SAXIFRAGACEJE. 169 



highest of the Bohemian. Not uncommon in the Scotch mountains, 

 and found also, but much more sparingly, in the Lake districts of 



v northern England, in North Wales, and on Ben Bulben, in Ireland. 



\ Fl. summer. 



11. S. stellaris, Linn. (fig. 386). Star S. A perennial, but the 

 stock is small, and has often an annual appearance ; it is crowned by 

 1 or more tufts of spreading leaves, rather thin, varying from oblong 

 to obovate, with a few coarse teeth, and tapering at the base. When 

 luxuriant these tufts are elongated into leafy branches of 1 or 2 inches. 

 Stems erect, 3 to 6 inches high, leafless, except a small, leafy bract 

 under each pedicel. Flowers from 2 to 3 or 8 to 10, rather small, white 

 and starlike, on slender, spreading pedicels, forming a loose terminal 

 panicle. Calyx free almost to the base, the segments closely reflexed 

 on the pedicel. Petals narrow and spreading. Capsule rather large, 

 with 2 diverging beaks. 



On wet rocks, and along rivulets and springs, in all the mountain- 

 ' ranges of Europe, Russian Asia, from the Mediterranean to the Arctic 

 regions, and also in northern America. Frequent in the mountains of 

 North Wales, Ireland, and Yorkshire, and throughout Scotland. 



12. S. umbrosa, Linn. (fig. 387). London-pride, St. Patrick's Cabbage, 

 None-so-pretty. Perennial stock shortly branched, crowned by the 

 spreading leaves, forming dense tufts, which, in our gardens will attain 

 near a foot in diameter. Leaves rather thick and leathery, usually 

 glabrous, obovate, an inch or more in length, bordered with cartilaginous 

 crenatures or coarse teeth, and narrowed at the base into a short, more 

 or less flattened stalk, ciliated at the edges. Stems erect, leafless, 6 

 inches to a foot high. Flowers small, pink, elegantly spotted with a 

 darker colour, in a loose, slender panicle. Calyx free, with short 

 segments closely reflexed on the pedicel. Petals much longer, ovate 

 or oblong, and spreading. 



In shady places, in Portugal, western Spain, and the higher Pyrenees, 

 and reappearing in western and south-western Ireland. Cultivated 

 from an early period in our gardens, and has established itself in some 

 localities in northern England and western Scotland. Fl. early summer. 



13. S. G-eum, Linn. (tig. 388). Kidney -S. Closely allied to S. um- 

 brosa in its habit and flowers, this species only differs in its leaves, 

 which are orbicular, usually notched or cordate at the base, with long 

 stalks, less flattened than in the last species, and usually very hairy ; 

 the leaves themselves also have often a few scattered hairs on both 

 surfaces. 



The geographical range is the same as that of the umbrosa, but it 

 appears generally to prefer lower altitudes. In Britain it is confined to 

 the mountains of Kerry and Cork. Fl. early summer. Specimens in 

 some measure intermediate between this and the last species, with the 

 leaves orbicular or nearly so, but not cordate, and the stalk somewhat 

 flattened, have been gathered near Killarney. They have been published 

 as species, under the names of S. hirsuta, Linn, and S. elegans, Mackay, 

 whilst others consider them as hybrids. In favour of the latter sup- 

 position there appears to be but little evidence, and they are probably 

 mere varieties of S. umbrosa. [The late Mr. Ball, who knew the Irish 

 forms well, regarded hirsuta, L., as a hairy form of umbrosa, with sharply- 

 iQothed leaves, rrnind or obtuse at the base ; and S. elegans, Mackay, alsg 



