266 DECANDRIA— DIGYNIA. Saxifraga. 



and other Highland mountains, but not common. Hooker. Near 

 the top of Ben Lomond, on the west side, in the clefts of the rock. 



Perennial. July. 



This has much affinity in habit to the last species, but is altogether 

 destitute of a stem. The leaves are perfectly radical, ovate or obo- 

 vate, variously, but not deeply, serrated, most hairy or downy 

 about tlie edges ; tapering at the base, which is entire, into a 

 broad, flat, somewhat winged, footstalk, variable in length and 

 width. Flower-stalk generally solitary, radical, stout, from 3 to 6 

 inches high ; downy and viscid at the upper part, terminating in 

 a very variable dense cluster, either single or divided, of a few 

 alternate flowers, on short hairy stalks, with lanceolate, fringed 

 bracteas. Cal. with a broad hemispherical base, embracing the 

 lower half of the germen, and terminating in 5 broad, spreading, 

 somewhat triangular, segments. Pet. ovate, inserted into the 

 rim of the calyx between its segments, white, with two pale 

 green transverse spots, and tipped with the same colour. Stam. 

 from the rim of the calyx. Caps, large, ovate, with 2 recurved 

 beaks ; its lower half firmly united to the undivided base of the 

 calyx. Styles very short. Stigma.' capitate, smooth. 



5. nivalis is the only British species of Mr. Don's 4th section, 

 named Micranthes ; a most natural assemblage ; but he has ju- 

 diciously refrained from making any genei'ic division of Saxi- 

 fraga. The present section indeed, though so well distinguished 

 from the last by the different position and situation of the calyx, 

 is very nearly related to it, and I have therefore altered Mr. Don's 

 arrangement, so far as to place these sections next each other. 

 The close affinity of their respective species, while they differ 

 in subordinate characters, even of their fructification, affords the 

 best evidence that the whole genus is natural and indivisible. 



*** Sie?n leafy. Calyx partly or entirely inferior. Leaves 

 undivided. Stigmas downy. 



6. S. oppos'itifolia . Purple Saxifrage. 



Branches single-flowered, clothed with opposite, imbricated, 

 fringed leaves. Petals ovate. 



S. oppositifolia. Linn. Sp. Pl.o75. Fl. Lapp. ed.2. 148. t.2. f. ]. 



IVilld. V. 2. 648. Fl. Br. 450. Engl. Bat. v.l.t.9. Don Tr. of 



L. Soc. v. 13. 400. Dicks. H. Sice. fasc. 2. 6. Curt. Land. 



fasc. 6. t.27. Hook. Scot. 129. Fl. Dan. t. 34. Jllion. Pedem. 



v.2.70.t.2l.f.3. 

 S. n. 980. Hall. Hist. v. 1 . 420. 

 S.alpina ericoides, flore caeruleo. Raii Syn. 353. Tourn. Inst. 253. 



Scheuchz. It.2. v. 1. 140. t. 20./. 2. 

 Sedum alpinum ericoides purpurascens, also caeruleum. Bauh. 



Pin. 284. Prodr. 132. Moris, v. 3 (not v. 1), 480. n. 36, 37. 



sect. 12. t. I0.f36. Bauh. Hist. v. 3. p. 2. 694. f. 



