1618 



SAVORY 



the annual. It may be managed like thyme. It has 

 woody, slender, very branching stems 12-16 in. tall, 

 narrow, very acute leaves, white, pink or lilac flowers 

 and brown seeds, whose average vitality is three years. 

 M. G. Kains. 

 SAVOY is a kind of cabbage. 



SAW PALMETTO, 



lata. 



225" Saurur 



) Csee page 1617 ) 



SAXlFEAGA (Latin, rock and to break; said by 

 some to refer to the fact that many of the species grow 

 in the clefts of rock, by others to the supposition that 

 certain species would cure stone in the bladder). Saxi- 

 fragdcece. Saxifrage. Rockfoil. As outlined below 

 (including Megasea), the genus contains upwards of 

 175 species, widely distributed in the north temperate 

 zone, many of them alpine and boreal. In the southern 

 hemisphere they seem to be known only in South Amer- 

 ica. The Saxifrages are herbs, mostly perennial, with 

 perfect small white, yellow or purplish flowers in pani- 

 cles or corymbs ; calyx with 5 lobes; petals 5, usually 

 equal; stamens mostly 10, in some species only 5; 

 styles 2; fr. a 2-beaked or 2-divided capsule, or some- 

 times the capsules nearly or quite separate at maturity, 

 with numerous seeds. See Engler, "Monographie der 

 Gattung Saxifraga," 1872. 



Saxifrages are various in habit and stature, but they 

 are mostly low and spreading with rosulate or tufted 

 root-leaves. Most of the species in cultivation are grown 

 as rock-garden plants, although the large-leaved mem- 

 bers of the Megasea or Bergenia section are sometimes 

 used as border plants. Owing to the small attention 

 given to rock and alpine gardening in America, the Sax- 

 ifrages are little known to our horticulturists. Most of 

 them are abundantly hardy as to frost, but are likely to 

 suffer from the dryness and heat of the American sum- 

 mer. Partial shade in summer is essential for the best 

 results with most of the species. In winter the stools 

 should be given ample covering of leaves. The most 

 useful kinds for this country are the species of the 

 Megasea section. These are low plants of bold habit, 

 and are admirably adapted for rockwork and for spring 

 forcing under glass. Fig. 1047, V^ol. II, shows a clump 

 of these plants in the lower left-hand corner. 



The alpine species are mostly dwarf plants with more 

 or less persi.stent foliage. Some of them, as S. opposit- 

 ifolia, make dense moss-like mats; others, of which S. 

 Aizoon may be taken as a cultural type, produce a 

 dense rosette of leaves at the surface of the ground. 



SAXIFRAGA 



from which arises a flower-scape. Some of these forms 

 are very interesting because of the vari-colored or sil- 

 very effect produced by natural incrustations of lime on 

 the leaves, particularly on the leaf-edges. Give shade. 



Most Saxifrages make stolons and offshoots freely, 

 and by these the plants are easily propagated; they are 

 also increased by division. Some make bulblets. 



The number of species of Saxifrage worthy of culti- 

 vation in rockeries and in borders is large, but the fol- 

 lowing account comprises those known to be in the trade 

 in North America. Very few of the species have been 

 modified to any extent under domestication. There are 

 a number of important hybrids, two of which are in the 

 American trade: S. Andretvsii, hybrid of S. Geum and 

 S. Aizoon, is somewhat like the latter parent; fls. pale 

 white with purple dots; Ivs. spatulate to ligulate, very 

 obtuse, crenulate-dentate; stem erect, few-leaved, glan- 

 dular-hairy, 6-8 in. tall. S. hybrida splendens is per- 

 haps a hybrid of S.Oeum by jS. rotundifolia. 



. Milesu 



EB. Margin of leaf not ciliate but 

 more or less undulate or ere- 

 nate: lvs. not pubescent, 

 c. iSfape and inflorescence gla- 

 brous 4. crassiiolia 



5. cordifolia 

 cc. Scape and inflorescence pu- 

 bescent 0. 



A. 2>t'.s. vith„„f p,n,rtnfe dots or 

 qt,n,i< I ,,-„.,/,,„,. s' pitted) on 



B. Seeds 

 laria) . 



ther 



lar 



lender 

 proper. 

 .1 (Cyml 



root- 



BB. Seeds fusiform or oblong-obo- 

 vate. 

 0. Apex and margin of leaves 

 bearing a few distinct pores 

 or impressed dots. 

 D. Arrangement of lvs. oppo- 

 site 8. oppositifol: 



DD. Arrangement of lvs. alter- 

 nate {best seen on flower- 

 ing stems). 

 ^. Leaf - margins reflexed, 

 crenulafe or nearly en- 

 tire, more or less cms- 



tate with lime 9. lingrulata 



10. Hostii 



