44 WHITE TO GREEN 



that mark its five white petals. It is a low-growing species, 

 the flower-stalks seldom exceeding six inches in height, and 

 being much branched and reddish in colour. The tiny narrow 

 leaves are very stiff, — indeed, a noticeable characteristic of 

 the whole plant is its rigid nature. The name is derived from 

 saxiim, ''a rock," diwd f^migo, "I break," and the Germans 

 call it Steinbj^ecJi^ because it grows so thickly in the crevices 

 of the rocks that it is supposed to disintegrate them by its 

 growth. All the Saxifrages are much visited by flies and 

 bees, and 



" Scarce less the cleft-born wild-flower seems to enjoy 



Existence, than the winged plunderer 



That sucks its sweets." 



NODDING SAXIFRAGE 



Saxifraga cermia. Saxifrage Family 



Stems: tall, slender, glutinous. Leaves: alternate, basal ones petioled, 

 broadly reniform, palmately five-to-seven lobed ; upper leaves smaller, 

 entire, sessile, bract-like, with small red bulblets in their axils. Flowers : ter- 

 minal, nodding. 



A creamy-white flower, more rare than many of its sister 

 Saxifrages, and growing from four to eight inches high. The 

 traveller will at once be struck by the little bright red bulbs 

 that grow in the axils, where each upper leaf is attached to 

 the stalk ; and by this characteristic, as well as by its lower 

 palm-like leaves, the Nodding Saxifrage may be readily known. 

 It grows among the rocks at very high altitudes. 



LYALL'S SAXIFRAGE 



Saxifraga Lyallii. Saxifrage Family 



Stems: glabrous, caudex creeping, sparingly branched. Leaves : obovate, 

 attenuate below to a margined petiole, coarsely toothed at the summit. 

 Flowers : numerous ; calyx parted to the base ; petals round-obovate ; fila- 

 ments flat. Fruit: capsule united only at base ; beaks red, erect. 



