ACCOUNT OF GENUS SEDUM AS FOUND IN CULTIVATION, iig 



Aizoon and kamtschaticum, combining some of the characters of each 

 of these species. 



It resembles Aizoon closely in inflorescence, flower, and fruit, the 

 only reliable difference in these features appearing to be that in Ella- 

 combianum the fruiting carpel is deeper above owing to a bulging of 

 the inner edge, than in Aizoon : in consequence it is more abruptly 

 contracted into the beak, and its upper edge lies almost horizontally, 

 instead of sloping inwards (compare a, b, fig. 54). It differs from 

 Aizoon in the absence of a much-thickened rootstock and tuberous 

 Telephium-like roots, in its light-green colour, in its numerous arching 

 stems (not tall and erect), and its spathulate crenate-serrate leaves 

 (not lanceolate or ovate-lanceolate sharply serrate) (fig. 61). 



It resembles 5. kamtschaticum in its rootstock much branched up- 

 wards, forming a tangle above the surface of the ground, the new stems 

 arising from the lower part of the old ones (not direct from the thickened 



Fig. 61. — Leaves of 5. EUacombianum. x i. 



rootstock as in Aizoon), and prolonged downwards into strong branching 

 tap-roots bearing dense tufts of short fibrous rootlets. It differs from 

 kamtschaticum in its stems never branched, light (not dark) green in 

 colour, broader crenate (not serrate) leaves, dense inflorescence, smaller 

 flowers (f inch instead of | inch diameter), sepals ^ (instead of ^) the 

 length of the petals, and absence of red coloration in flower or fruit. 



Description. — A smooth herbaceous perennial, forming a compact more or 

 less hemispherical tuft about 6 inches high. Rootstock much branched upwards, 

 ultimate branches slender, prolonged downwards into one or more thick tap- 

 roots much branched below, and bearing tufts of rootlets. Stems annual, arising 

 in spring, all flowering, numerous, unbranched, spreading, 4-6 inches long, 

 smooth, round, reddish below. Leaves opposite, rather crowded, ij inch long 

 by J inch broad, flat, fleshy, bright fresh green, rather paler on back, obovate to 

 spathulate, tapering below to a very short petiole, crenate-serrate above with 

 4-6 teeth on either side and a large rounded terminal tooth. Inflorescence com- 

 pact, leafy, flat, umbellate, about ij inches across, of 3 to 5 branches with a 

 flower in the centre ; branches forked with a flower in the forks ; each flower 

 subtended by a bract, the lower ones leaf-like, the uppermost linear and very 

 small. Buds ovate, acute. Flowers generally clear yellow, without admixture 

 of orange or red, f inch across, lower ones shortly stalked, upper sessile. Sepals 

 green, blunt, linear and terete in upper f , lower part broadening considerably. 

 Petals bright yellow, wide-spreading, lanceolate, acute, keeled, twice the sepals. 

 Stamens spreading, yellow, slightly shorter than the petals, the epipetalous ones 

 nearly free, anthers often tinged reddish. Seizes whitish, about as long as broad. 



