90 SAXIFRAGACE^E. (SAXIFRAGE FAMILY.) 



"by the want of stipules ; sometimes by the leaves being opposite j and 

 in most by the partial or complete union of the 2 to 5 carpels into a 

 compound ovary, with either axile or parietal placentae. Seeds usually 

 indefinitely numerous. Petals and stamens perigynous. Styles inclined 

 to be distinct. 



Tribe I. Herbs. Leaves mostly alternate and without distinct stipules. Styles or tips 

 of the carpels distinct and soon divergent. Fruit capsular. SAXIFRAGES. 



* Ovary with 2 or rarely more cells and placentae in the axis, or of as many distinct carpels. 



1. Saxifraga. Stamens 10 (rarely more). Petals 5. Calyx-tub' mostly free. 



2. Boykinia. Stamens 5. Petals 5. Calyx-tube adnate to the ovary. 



* * Ovary 1-celled, with 2 or 3 parietal placentae alternate with the styles or stigmas : no 



sterile filaments. 



3. Tellima. Stamens 10, included. Petals 3 to 7-parted into narrow divisions, conspicu- 



ous. Styles 2 or 3, very short. 



4. Tiarella. Stamens 10, and styles 2, both long, filiform and exseited. Petals entire, 



inconspicuous and almost filiform. Capsule very unequally 2-valved to the base. 



5. Mitella. Stamens 5 (in ours), very short. Petals pinnatifid or 3-cleft into capillary di 



visions. Styles very short. Capsule depressed. 



6. Chrysosplenium. Stamens 8 or 10, very short. Petals none. Styles 2. Capsule 



obcordate, flattened. 



7. Heuchera. Stamens 5, and styles 2, both commonly slender. Petals entire, small, 



sometimes minute or none. Capsule ovate, 2-beaked, fully half inferior. 



* * * Ovary 1-celled, with 3 or 4 parietal placentas directly under as many obtuse sessile 



stigmas : a cluster of united sterile filaments alternate with the stamens. 



8. Parnassia. Calyx 5-parted. Petals 5, large. Stamens 5. Flower solitary. 



Tribe II. Shrubs. Leaves opposite, simple: no stipules. Fruit capsular. H YD RAN- 

 GIER. 

 * Stamens 20 or more : ovary inferior. 



9. Philadelphia. Ovary 4 to 5-celled. Petals convolute in the bud. 



* * Stamens 8 or 10 : ovary superior or nearly so. 



10. Jamesta. Calyx-tube adnate to the base of the 1-celled ovary and incompletely 3 to 



5-celled capsule. Petals 5. Styles 3 to 5. 



11. Fendlera. Calyx -tube half adherent to the 4-celled ovary and capsule. Petals 4. 



Filaments 2-lobed. Styles 4. 



Tribe III. Shrubs. Leaves alternate, simple : stipules adnate to the petiole or wanting. 



Fruit a berry. 



12. Ribes. Calyx-tube adnate to the 1-celled ovary : placentae 2, parietal. 



1. SAXIFRAGA, L. SAXIFRAGE. 



Calyx 5-lobed or parted, free, or its tube more or less coherent with the 

 lower part of the ovary. Petals entire. Stigmas mostly depressed-capitate 

 or reniform. Either stemless or short-stemmed : petioles commonly sheath- 

 ing at base : the small flowers in cymes, cymose panicles, or clusters, some- 

 times solitary. 



* Stem more or less leafy. 

 H- Calyx free from the ovary : leaves opposite. 



1. S. oppositifolia, L. Leaves fleshy, ovate, keeled, ciliate, imbricated 

 on the sterile branches : flowers solitary, large : petals purple, obovate, much 

 longer than the 5-cleft calyx. From the Teton Mountains northward and 

 throughout Arctic America ; also found in Vermont. 



