168 



CRASSULACEAE. [Vol.. II. 



10. Sedum Nevii A. Gray. Nevius' Stone- 

 crop. (Fig. 1819.) 



Sedum Nevii A. Gray, Man. Ed. 5, 172. 1867. 



Densely tufted, glabrous, stems spreading or decum- 

 bent, flowering branches ascending, $'-5' high. Leaves 

 of the sterile shoots very densely imbricated, spatulate 

 or obovate, narrowed or cuneate at the base, mostly 

 sessile, rounded at the apex, entire, 3 // -6 // long, i"-2" 

 wide, the lower ones smaller; leaves of the flowering 

 branches spatulate or linear-oblong, alternate; cyme 

 about 3-forked, its branches usually recurved in flower; 

 flowers close together, 3 "-4" broad; petals linear, 

 acuminate, longer than the sepals; follicles about 2" 

 long, widely divergent, tipped with the short style. 



On rocks, mountains of Virginia to Alabama. May-June. 



3. SEMPERVIVUM L. Sp. PI. 464. 1753. 



Fleshy perennial herbs, the thick succulent leaves densely imbricated on the short 

 sterile shoots and scattered on the erect flowering stems, with compound terminal usually 

 dense cymes of showy flowers. Flowers 6-2oparted. Petals distinct, oblong or lanceolate, 

 acute or acuminate. Stamens twice as many as the petals. Styles filiform; ovules oo . 

 Follicles many-seeded. [Latin, always living.] 



About 40 species, natives of the Old World, chiefly distinguished from Scdtim by the more nu- 

 merous parts of the flower. 



i. Sempervivum tectdrum L,. Houseleek. 

 (Fig. 1820.) 



Sempcrvii'um tectorum L. Sp. PI. 464. 1753. 



Flowering stems about i high, the barren shoots forming 

 lateral nearly globular tufts. Leaves oval or ovate, the 

 lower I'-ij^' long, very thick, short-pointed, bordered by a 

 line of stiff short hairs; cyme large, dense; flowers some- 

 times i' broad, pink, sessile along its spreading or recurved 

 branches; petals lanceolate, acute, 2 to 3 times as long as the 

 obtuse ciliate sepals. 



Essex Co., Mass., escaped from gardens and reported as \vrll 

 established; Somerset Co., N. J. Native of continental Europe. 

 Summer. Old English names, Homewort, Sengreen and Thumh r 

 plant; a fancied protection against lightning, as well as fire. 



4. PENTHORUM L. Sp. PI. 432. 1753. 



Erect perennial scarcely succulent herbs, with alternate sessile serrate thin leaves, and 

 greenish perfect flowers in forked secund cymes. Calyx 5-parted. Petals usually wanting, if 

 present 5. Stamens 10, hypogynous; filaments filiform. Carpels 5, united to the middle, 

 ovules oo. Capsule depressed, 5-lobed, 5-beaked, the lobes tipped with divergent styles; 

 many-seeded. [Greek, five, from the symmetrical flower.] 



About 3 species, natives of eastern North America, Japan and Ch'na. The following is the only 

 one known in North America. The genus is referred to the Saxifrage Family by some authors. 



