264 THE ALPINE FLORA 



Jura; i 200-2000 m. Planted in a crevice of limestone, 

 it flowers fairly well ; give good drainage and partial shade. 



7^. parnassifolius is a low-growing plant with thick, 

 prostrate stems ; leaves thick, cordate, woolly at the edges, 

 and carried on long petioles; flowers large, of dazzling 

 white, arranged in 2-3 on the upper portion of the 

 scapes. Flowers in June and July on stony debris of the 

 limestone Alps; 2ooo-25oo m. To succeed with it, the 

 soil should be a little heavy, and the situation open to full 

 sunlight. 



T{. pyrenaeus (PI. IV). Stem erect; radical leaves linear- 

 lanceolate, smooth, bluish-green, entire, erect; flowers 

 white (the petals caducous) in i-3 on the apex of the stems. 

 June-July. Alpine pastures from loooto iSoom. Culture: 

 compact, deep soil; half-sun; never completely successful. 



J{. rutaefolius. Dwarf plant; bluish-green leaves spread- 

 ing over the ground, much incised and a little like those 

 of a Rue; flowers white, small, with many caducous 

 divisions, carried on long, slender stalks. July-August : 

 in cool sports of the Alps, particularly in the granite. 

 1900-2500 m. Culture: that of 7^. alpestris. 



J{. glacialis (PI. V). One of the plants dearest to the 

 climber, for its discovery tells that his pass or arete or 

 peak is in sight. Leaves thick, shining, and deeply divided; 

 stem fleshy, waved, reddish-brown in colour, prostrate; 

 flowers i-5, with a brown, villous calyx and a corolla, 

 which persists till the seed ripens, of blush white, occa- 

 sionally of bright rose, and passing after fertilisation 

 into rosy copper. Flowers (July-August) in cool, stony 

 places on or above the snow-line, having been observed 

 as high as 4000 m. 



Our mountain folk use it as a sudorific and as a blis- 

 tering agent. The culture in Swiss lowlands is difficult. 

 At Floraire we can manage it in a cool, pebbly position 



