350 



nODECANDRIJ DODECJGYISIIA. 



249. SEMPERVIVUM. Houseleek. 



Litin. Gen. 244. Juss.307. Fl. Br. 522. Lam. t. 413. Schviid. 



Ic. t. 17. Gcertn.t. 65. 

 Sedum. T<m.rn.t.\40.f.C—\,?. 



Nat. Ord. Succulentce. Linn. 13. Semperviva;. Juss. 83. 



Cal. inferior, of 1 leaf, concave, permanent, in from 6 to 

 12, more or less, deep, uniform, fleshy, rather acute, 

 segments. Pet. as many as the segments of the calyx, 

 and somewhat larger, lanceolate, acute, channelled, equal, 

 spreading, withering. Nect. an occasional, very minute, 

 entire scale, at the base of each germen on the outer side. 

 Filam. as many, or twice as many, as the petals, opposite 

 to them, but not so long, when more nimierous, partly 

 alternate, awl-shaped, spreading. Anth. of 2 round lobes. 

 Germ, as many as the stamens, ranged in a radiatmg 

 circle, oblong, pointed, compressed, each terminating in 

 a spreading style, with a blunt stigma. Caps, as many as 

 the gennens, and of the same figure, as well as position, 

 pointed, bursting along their upper or inner margin. 

 Seeds numerous, minute, arranged along the inner mar- 

 gin, at each side. 



Very succulent, herbaceous or shrubby; the leaves simple, 

 undivided, entire, numerously disposed in rosaceous 

 tufts. Fl. spiked or clustered, yellow, reddish, pallid, or 

 greenish. In our only Bi'itish species, I have never 

 found any nectaries; but the microscopic Schmidel says 

 they exist in every Sempervivuin. If so, they will not 

 serve, except by being notched in Sedum, to distinguish 

 that genus from the present. I have not seen the 1 2 im- 

 perfect stamens, nor the abortive germens, mentioned by 

 Professor Hooker, Fl.Scot. 149. 



1. S. tectornm. Common Houseleek. 



Leaves fringed. Offsets spreading. Edges of the petals 

 hairy, entu-e. 



S. tectorum. Linn. Sp. PI. 664. Willd. v. 2. 932. Fl. Br. 522. 

 Engl. Bot. V. 19. t. 1320. Curt. Lond. fasc. 3. t. 29, Hook' 

 Scot. 149. Fl.Dan.t.601. 



