THE DRABA AND ERITRICHIUM 183 



forms loose, spreading cushions, the ends of the leafy 

 branches being resetted. Numerous large, yellow 

 flowers spring from the cushion, and these differ 

 from other Androsaces in the greater length of the 

 corolla tube, which is twice the length of the calyx. 

 The free portions of the corolla spread to form a 

 saucer-shaped structure. It is a rare plant, confined 

 to Canton Valais. 



THE PYRENEAN DRABA. 



The Pyrenean Draba (Draba pyrenaica, Linn. = 

 Petrocallis pyrenaica, Linn., natural order Cruciferse, 

 the Crucifer family), is another example of a High 

 Alpine cushion plant, whose near relatives in the 

 Alpine region proper, such as Draba aizoides, Linn., 

 and D. tomentosa, Wahl., are rosette plants. At first 

 sight the cushion of the Pyrenean Draba, with its 

 pink or lilac flowers, might be easily mistaken for 

 that of Androsace glacialis. It is, however, at once 

 distinguished by the four petals, and the Crucifer 

 type of the flower as a whole, and by the fact that 

 the leaves at their tips are cleft into three or more 

 lobes. It is not a very abundant plant, but is not 

 infrequent on calcareous rocks and debris in the High 

 Alpine region. 



THE ERITRICHIUM. 



The Eritrichium (Eritrichium nanum, Schrad., 

 natural order Boraginese, the Borage family) (Plate 

 XXXV., Fig. 1) is in some respects the "belle" 



