CRASSULACE.E. 61 



sepals, ciliated and pubescent. Hypogynous scales extremely small, 

 convex, resembling glands. 



On roof's and old walls. Not uncommon, but not native. 

 [England, Scotland, Ireland.] Perennial. Summer. 



Rosettes 2 to 4 inches across. Flowering-stems 9 inches to 

 2 feet high, thick, with the leaves 1^ to 2 inches long. Flowers 

 | to 1 inch across, dull rose streaked~ with purple, and the petals 

 with a green keel on the outside. The 12 inner stamens frequently 

 converted into pistils, or abortive. Follicles dull rose-colour. 

 Common House-leek. 



French, Joubarbe des Toits. German, Bach Hauslauch. 

 The appearance of this curious plant is familiar to us all, as it covers the roofs of 

 time-worn cottages or battered castle-walls. The thick succulent leaves enable the 

 plant to retain vitality even in the driest weather, acting as reservoirs of moisture. 

 We have seeD, in old-fashioned farm-houses, pleasant fresh-looking fireplace-screens, or 

 chimney-boards, lasting the summer through, made by these plants inserted into a frame 

 of cross-bars of wire or wood, so that their roots are towards the grate, and their 

 closely-arranged disks towards the room, the whole surface being occasionally sprinkled 

 with water. The House-leek possesses a very popular reputation as a remedy in cuts 

 and bruises, burns and scalds. Boerhaave gave the juice for dysentery. It is sometimes 

 mixed with cream or milk for external application. With honey it was at one time con- 

 sidered a good remedy for the thrush in children, being applied with a hair-pencil. The 

 House-leek had several names in olden times,— such as Sengreen or Aggreen, both 

 translations of Sempervivum. It was also called Jupiter's Beard, Jupiter's Eye, and 

 Bullock's Beard : in Scotland it is termed Fouets. In Gerarde's time the medical repu- 

 tation of the House-leek was at its height. He tells us that " the juice mixed with barly 

 meale and vineger prevaileth against St. Anthonies fire, all hot burnings and frettin" 

 ulcers, and against scaldings, burnings, and hot inflammations, and also the <*out 

 comming of an hot cause." " The juice of House-leeke," says he, " garden nightshade, 

 and the buds of poplar boiled in hog's grease, make the most singular populeon that 

 ever was used in surgerie. The juice hereof taketh away comes from the toes and feet, 

 if they be washed and bathed therewith, and every day and night, as it were, emplais- 

 tered with the skin of the same Houseleeke, which certainly taketh them away without 

 incision or suchlike, as hath been experimented by my verie good friend Mr. Nicholas 

 Belson, a man painful and curious in searching forth the secrets of nature." 



In the days of superstition, the House-leek was supposed to protect the buildings 

 on which it grew from lightning. Charlemagne ordered it to be planted on the roof 

 of every house, probably with this view, and the custom still prevails both in England 

 and on the Continent, though the only service it can render is possibly to preserve the 

 thatch on cottage roofs : its pretty and picturesque appearance, with its rosy-tipped 

 leaves, in such situations cannot be questioned. 



GENUS IK—C OTYLEDON. Linn. 



Calyx of 5 (or 4) sepals, united at the base. Petals united 

 into a bell-shaped or cylindrical corolla, which is 5- (or 4-) toothed 



