S A 



SAX 



le"'"eLl pcriantli, five-partet!, short, acute, pernia- 

 riL-in : the corolla has five petal.^, spreadiny;, 

 narrow at the base : the stamina have ton awl - 

 shriperl tilaments : arrthers roundisli : the pistil- 

 luni is a rounclisb acuminate germ, ending' in 

 two short styles: stigmas blunt: the pericar- 

 pium is a subovate two-beaked capsule, two- 

 celled, opening between the points : the seeds 

 numerous, minute. 



'I'he species mostly cultivated arc: 1. i<'. Co/y- 

 hJoti, Pvramidal Saxifrage ; 2. ^S. granulaia. 

 White Saxifrage; 3. S. crnsfit folia, Thick- 

 leaved Saxifrage; 4. S.iimh-osa, London Pride; 

 5. S. ki/ptio-id'/s, Mossy Saxifrage, or Ladies' 

 Cushion; 6. S. sarmentoui, China Saxifrage; 

 7. S. rotii/idijh/ifi, Piound-leaveJ Saxifrage. 



There are other species that may be cidii- 

 vated. 



The ffrst has the panicle very much branclud, 

 niany-flowered, or branched a little with few 

 flowers : the petals unspotted or spotted ; and 

 according to Miller, who has made three species 

 of it, the roots are perennial and fibrous, and 

 the leaves are gathered into circular heads, em- 

 bracins: each o\her at the base like the common 

 HouseTeek, in some of the sorts tongue-shaped, 

 about two inches long, and a quarter of an inch 

 broad : the stem aboiit a foot high, purplish, a 

 little hairv, and sending out several horizontal 

 branches the whole length: the flowers are in 

 small clusters at the end of the branches ; white 

 with several red spots on the inside. But in 

 others the leaves are smaller. It is a native of 

 the Alps. 



It is observed, that when these plants are 

 stronci^ they produce very large pyramids of 

 flowers, which make a fine appearance ; and be- 

 ing kept in the shade, and screened from wind 

 and rain, continue in beauty a considerable 

 time: they flower in June. There are several 

 varieties. 



The second species has the root composed of 

 several little grains or knobs, attached to one 

 main fibre, and throwing out small fibres from 

 their base: the stem is erect, round, pubescent, 

 leafy, somewhat viscid, branched and panicled 

 at top, of a brown or reddish hue, with which 

 colour the leaves, &c. are also tinged, giving the 

 whole herb a rich glowing appearance ; ihese^ 

 parts are also clothed with the same kind of 

 hairs, especially the calyx, whicli is very clammy 

 to the touch : the leaves are somewhat fleshy, 

 lobed, and cut ; those next the root on long foot- 

 stalks ; those on the stem alternate, subsessile. 

 It is a native of Europe, flowering in May. 



It varies with double flowers, m which gtate it 

 )s cultivated as an ornamental plant. 



The third has the root superficial, black. 



scaly, with the relics of dead leaves, the thickness 

 of a linger or thumb, round, sending down fili- 

 form librcs from the lower surface: the stems 

 from the axils of the leaves of the year pre- 

 ccdino; at the tops of the roots alternate, very 

 short, almost upright, covered with the sheaths 

 of the leaves, quite simple, but branched in au- 

 tumn : the leaves three or four, alternate, spread- 

 ing very nuich, obovate-oblong, crenulate, 

 subretuse, very smooth, veined, a span long^ 

 flat, coriaceous : the petioles shorter by half 

 than the leaves, roundish, channelled, smooth,, 

 with a wide membrane at the base, of an ovate 

 form, embracing, and in the winter season serv- 

 ing for a gem : the scape or peduncle termi- 

 nating, solitarv, erect, a span high, the thick- 

 ness of the liltie finger, roundish, very smooth, 

 purplish, almost naked, many-flowered : the 

 panicle contracted, naked, blood-red, composed 

 of pedate racemes : the flowers inferior, drooping^ 

 pedicelled : the pedicels short, round, rugged. 



It is observed, that " the stem changes every 

 year into root ; that which flowers one year 

 losing its leaves during the winter, turning to 

 the ground, becoming black, and putting forth 

 fibres :" and after the plant has flowered, the 

 stem puts forth branches from the axils of the 

 leaves, which have the panicle of flowers for the 

 next year included in their gems. 



According to Curtis, tiie leaves are large, red 

 on the under, and of a fine shining green on 

 their upper surface, and may be ranked among 

 the more handsome kinds of foliage: the flower- 

 ing stems, according to the richness and mois- 

 ture of the soil in which they are planted, rise 

 from one to two or even three feet high ; at top 

 supporting a large bunch of purple pendulous 

 flowers, expanding in April and May, and, if the 

 season prove favourable, making a line appear- 

 ance. It is a native of Silieria. 



It is remarked, that " there is another Saxifrage 

 in gardens,exceedingly like this inappcaraucc, but 

 differing, in producing larger bunches of flowers, 

 and in having larger, rounder, and more heart- 

 shaped leaves." 



The fourth species has the leaves all radical, 

 aggregate in tufts, spreading, running down in- 

 to the petiole, even and quite smooth, often 

 purple beneath : the scape a span high, erect, 

 red, hairv, manv-flowtred, with a lew small al- 

 ternate bractes : the flowers upright : the calyx 

 finally refle.xed : the petals obovate-lanceolate, 

 white or flesh-coloured, most beautifully dotted 

 with yellow and dark red : the germ altogether 

 superior, rose-coloured : the capsule ventrieose, 

 tipped with purple. It is a native of Ireland and 

 England, flowering in .(une and July. It has the 

 names of Noue-so-prelty, and London PrLdc. 



