SAXIFRAGACE2E. 



325 



Saxifraga granulata. 



Fig. 361. 

 Long. sect, of flower. 



form of the receptacle is altered ; it becomes a cupule varying 

 in depth, lined by a glandular disk, and bearing the perianth and 

 androceum on its edges, while the free pistil is inserted in the 

 bottom. 



When the receptacular cavity becomes yet more concave, and camp- 

 anulate sacciform or tubular, as in S. 

 oppositifolia, Cotyledon, Aizoon, hypnoides, 

 granulata, &c, while the carpellary 

 leaves are inserted higher up and by 

 a wider base on the inside thereof, the 

 gynreceum becomes half, nearly, or 

 almost completely inferior, and what was 

 formerly termed adherent. Its two cells 

 are complete for a great extent, with 

 axile placentation ; and it is only 

 above that we find two one-celled 

 ovaries with parietal placentation. The two styles always remain 

 independent. At the same time the disk and the insertion of the 

 perianth and androceum are forced higher up, 

 passing gradually into the most marked perigyny or 

 even epigyny. In this case the fruit is a half-inferior 

 or inferior capsule, dehiscing from above downwards 

 by two longitudinal clefts betw r een the terminal 

 stylar horns. 



Finally some species have an irregular corolla, 

 like S. sarmentosa (figs. 363, 364), often cultivated 

 for ornament ; it has two large petals, and three 

 smaller ones which may even disappear entirely ; or else one large 

 petal, two middle sized, and two small ones which may be quite 

 absent. 



Thus constituted, 1 the genus Saxifraga comprises about a hundred 



Saxifraga irrigua. 



Fig. 362. 

 Long, sect, of flower. 



1 Englee, who has most recently revised this 

 genus [Ind. Crit. Specier. atque Synon. Gen. 

 Saxifraga ( Vindob., 1869)], admits seventeen sec- 

 tions, founded on the form and organization of 

 the stems and leaves, the structure of the calyx, 

 and the relative size of that and of the corolla : 

 1. Calliphyllum (Gaud.) ; — 2. Cotyledon 

 (Gaud.) ; — 3. Kabschia (Engl.) ; — 4. Poro- 

 phyllum (Gaud.); — 5. Tngonophyllam (Gaud.); 



6. Trachyphyllum (Gaud.) ; — 7. Arietaria 

 (Stebnb.) ; — 8. Hirculus (Tausch) ; — 9. Dactyl- 

 oides (Tausch) ; — 10. Ligularia (Haw.); — 11. 

 Eobertsonia (Haw.); — 12. Boraphila (Engl.); 

 — 13. Isomeria (Toee. & Ge.) ; — 14. Pelli- 

 phyllum (Engl.); — 15. Micropetalum (Tausch); 

 — 16. Nephrophyllum (Gaud.); — 17. Cym- 

 balaria (Geiseb.). 



