ACCOUNT OF GENUS SEDUM AS FOUND IN CULTIVATION. 293 



SECTION IX.— EPETEIUM. 



Section Epeteium Boissier, "Flor. Orientalis," 2, 776. 



Annual, rarely biennial. Inflorescence cymose, 2- or many- 

 branched, or corymbose. Leaves semiterete or cylindrical (rarely 

 flat) , not rosulate. Hardy or tender. 



A. Planifolia . . . stellaiunt, formosanum, Someni. 



B. Teretifolia. 



a. Flowerswhite,red,or hispanicum, villosum, coemleum, 



blue rubens. 



h. Flowers yellow . annutim, Lehlancae. 



There is a considerable number of annual species of Sedum which 

 come under the above definition, and they are widely distributed. 

 Very few are in cultivation or worth growing. A few are Euro- 

 pean, but they are much more abundant in the nearer East and in 

 China, and some are American (chiefly Mexican). 



S. rubens, and one or two allies, are usually placed in a separate 

 section, Procrassula Schonland (= Aithales Webb and Berth.) 

 characterized especially by possessing only five stamens. But the 

 discovery in China in recent years of several Sedums [e.g.. S. Scallanii 

 Diels, S. Schoenlandi Hamet, S. Seelemanni Hamet, S. Someni Hamet, 

 S. ambiguum Praeger) possessing, like the Procrassulas (which are a 

 European group) only five stamens, but not otherwise related to 

 them, tends to discount the value of Procrassula as a natural group. 

 The suppression of the alternate stamens appears to be an abortion 

 occurring irregularly throughout the genus, and not characteristic 

 of any natural group or groups. 



A. Planifolia. 



142. Sedum stellatum Linn. (fig. 174). 



5. stellatum Linn., " Species Plantarum," 431, 1753. Masters in Card. 

 Chron. 1878, ii. 751. 



Illustrations. — Sibthorp, " Flora Graeca." tab. 446. Cusin and 

 Ansberque, " Herb. Flor. Fran^aise, Crassul.," tab. 9. Caraerarius, " Icones," 2, 

 1598. 



A small annual of no merit so far as gardens are concerned. Easily 

 recognized among the annual species by its comparatively large 

 spathulate leaves and purpUsh petals, eventually only half as long 

 as the sepals. 



Description. — A glabrous winter annual, appearing in autumn and flowering 

 in June. Stems usually branched below, decumbent at base, ascending or 

 spreading, stout, leafy. 2 to 6 inches long. Leaves alternate, spathulate, cuneate 

 at base, rounded at apex, sometimes with a blunt deflexed point, shortly stalked, 



