Saxifraga. SAXIFRAGACEiE. 255 



1. Saxifraga Virginiensis, Michx. Virginian Saxifrage. 



Leaves radical, more or less spatulate-obovate, rather thick, crenately toothed, tapering at 

 the base into a broad petiole ; scape nearly leafless, paniculately branched at the summit ; 

 flowers in dense or finally open cymose clusters ; calyx adherent only to the base of the ovary; 

 petals oblong, obtuse, twice as long as the calyx ; carpels united at the base, at length divari- 

 cate. — Michx. Jl. 1. p. 269; Pursh, ft. \.p. 310; Don, monog. Saxifr. in Linn, trans. 13. 

 p. 386 ; Ell. sk. 1. p. 311 ; Torr.fl. 1. p. 444 ; DC. prodr. 4. p. 39 ; Hook.fl. Bor.-Am. 1. 

 p. 24S ; Beck, hot. p. 137 ; Darlingt. jl. Cest. p. 269 ; Torr. ^ Gr. ft. N. Am. 1. p. 571. 

 S. vernalis, Willd. hort. Berol. t. 43 ; Bigel.fl. Bost. p. 177 ; Hook. I. c. S. nivalis, Muhl. 

 cat. p. 45. S. elongata, Sternb. Saxifr. p. 9. t. 4. 



Rhizoma thick, short. Leaves in a radical spreading tuft, about an inch long, rather thick, 

 minutely pubescent. Scape 4-12 inches high, fleshy, naked, viscous-pubescent. Panicle 

 when young close and compact, at length spreading and rather loose. Segments of the calyx 

 ovate, acute or obtuse, reddish at the tip. Petals white, with branching veins, which are 

 distinct in the dried, but obscure in the living plant. Stamens about as long as the calyx : 

 anthers roundish. Capsule purple when mature ; the beaks widely diverging. 



On rocks and hill-sides ; common. April - Jutje. 



2. Saxifraga Pennsylvanica, Linn. Pennsylvanian Saxifrage. 



Leaves oblanceolate, rather acute, attenuate at the base into a long naked petiole, obscurely 

 denticulate, slightly pubescent ; scape naked, viscous-pubescent ; cymes in a large oblong 

 panicle, finally loose ; flowers pedicellate ; segments of the calyx triangular-lanceolate, re- 

 curved, scarcely as long as the linear-lanceolate one-nerved petals, the tube adherent to the 

 base of the ovary only; carpels in the mature fruit distinct above. — Linn. sp. I. p. 399 (excl. 

 syn. Pluk.); Michx. Jl. 1. p. 269; Pursh, /. 1. p. 211 ; Don, Saxifr. I. c. p. 384; Torr. 

 Jl. 1. p. 344 ; Bigel. Jl. Bost. p. 177 ; DC. prodr. 4. p. 39 ; Hook. Jl. Bor.-Am. 1. p. 249 ; 

 Beck, hot. p. 138 ; Darlingt. Ji. Cest. p. 270; Torr. <^ Gr.Jl. N. Am. l.p. 571. Saxifraga, 

 &c. Dill. hort. Elth. t. 253. /. 328. 



Rhizoma short and thick. Leaves all radical, 4-8 inches long, rather thin, pale green, 

 slightly ciliate and pubescent. Scape 1-3 feet high, somewhat succulent. Panicle at first 

 contracted ; the branches at length distant, with a small lanceolate leafy bract at the base of 

 each. Flov^ers small. Petals greenish-yellow. Stamens longer than the calyx : anthers 

 purplish-orange. Capsule free from the calyx nearly to the base ; the carpels distinct more 

 than half their length, and somewhat recurved. Seeds very numerous and minute, angular, 

 dark brown. 



In swamps and wet meadows ; common. May - June, 



