CLASS X. ORDER II. J SAXIFRAQA. fi99 



1. S. oppositi'foiia, Linn. (Fig. 679.) Opposite-leaved Purple 

 Mountain Saxifrage. Stem i)rostrale, much brauclied ; leaves oppo- 

 site, ovale, the apex thickened, obliquely truncated, and with one pore, 

 below fleshy, triangular, ciliated, the erect branches densely imbri- 

 cated, the prostrate ones with distant pairs; flowers terminal, solitary ; 

 calyx segments obtuse, ciliated, stamens shorter than the corolla. 



English Botany, t. 9. — English Flora, vol. ii. p. 266. — Hoolier, 

 British Flora, vol. i. p. 197. — Lindley, Synopsis, p. 68. 



Roots small, fibrous, branched. Stems numerous, much branched, 

 prostrate, spreading, round, red, smooth, or mostly scattered over with 

 liairs. The flowering branches erect, short, densely clothed below with 

 leaves, the prostrate barren branches long, with distant pairs of leaves, 

 rarely crowded. Leaves ovate or oblong, green, or of a reddish colour, 

 the apex thickened, fleshy, obliquely truncated, perforated with one, 

 sometimes two, rarely three pores, the mid-rib thick, fleshy, making 

 the lower part of the leaf triangular, the margins ciliated, with pale 

 rigid simple bristles. FUnvers solitary, terminating the short erect 

 branches, nearly sessile. Calyx attached to about the middle of the 

 capsule, of five oblong obtuse segments, with the margins ciliated, with 

 short pale rigid simple bristles. Corolla of five oblong five-ribbed 

 petals, of a fine purple colour, rather large and spreading. Stamens 

 erect, shorter than the corolla, with awl-shaped filaments and small 

 ovate anthers, of two cells. Styles awl-shaped, spreading. Stigmas 

 simple, small. Capsule surrounded about the middle with the limb, 

 and enveloped in the lower part with the calyx, smooth, large, veiny, 

 two beaked, pointed with the base of the styles, two celled, with a 

 central placenta, bursting between at the junction of the beaks. Seeds 

 numerous, small, pale brown, triangular, oblong, rugose. 



Habitat. — Alpine rocks; summit of Ingleborough-hill, Yorkshire. — 

 Dr. Richardson. Snow den and other Welsh mountains; frequent on 

 the Highland mountains of Scotland, and in Ireland on the mountains 

 in Joyce-country, near Lough Corrib ; mountains of Ennishowen. — 

 jR. Broun, Esq. LL.D. On Benyevena, County of Derry. — Mr. D, 

 Moore. 



Perennial; flowering from April to June. 



The flowers of this species are very large for the size of the plant ; 

 they are, when first blown, of a pinkish colour, but become in the 

 course of a short time of a fine dark purple, and very beautiful. It is 

 readily cultivated, either in pots almost filled with stones, mixed with 

 a little light soil, and may with care and attention be kept by a suc- 

 cession of pots in flower almost all the year round ; or on ornamental 

 rock work, where it is one of our most beautiful plants, forming thick 

 tufts that spread over the stones, or hang pendent : it mostly bears a 

 profusion of its beautiful flowers, but requires to be grown in an 

 open airy situation. 



