Obdbe CL— SAXIFRAGACEiB, 36 S* 



acnte at each end, unequally serrate ; fla. iu unilateral cymous racemes. — A 

 hardy plant of little beauty, in moist situations, Can." and U. S. St 10 to 16' 

 high, with a few short branches. Lvs. 2 to 3' by J to 1', membranous, smooth, 

 sharply and unequally serrate. Rac, several, recurved at first, at length spread- 

 ing, with the flowers arranged on their upper side, constituting a corymboua, 

 scentless, pale, yellowish green cyme. Petals generally wanting. JL — Sept. 



Order LXL SAXIFRAGACE.^. Saxifrages. 



H&rhs or shrubs. Lvs. alternate or opposite, sometimes stipulate. Sepals 4 or 5, 

 cohering more or leas, and partly or wholly adherent. Petals as many as the sepals, 

 inserted between the lobes of the calyx. Simnms as many as the petals and al- 

 ternate with them, or 2 to 10 times as many. Ovary inferior, usually of 2 carpels, 

 cohering at base, distinct and divergent above. Fruit generally capsular, 1 to 2- 

 celled. Seeds small, many, albuminous. (Figs. 2*70, 298, 310, 393.) 



Gensra 42, apeoiea 640, subdivided into four groups ns given below. They are distributed in 

 both lieinisplieres as follows. The Saxifrageio belong to the northern and alpino regions. Tliir 

 Kscallonioie to the alpine regions of S. A'merica. The Philadelpheie to the north Temperate 

 Zone, and the Ciinonieie to the K. Indies, Australia and S. America. Many are cultivated for 

 their great beauty. Their properties are generally astringent. 



SUBORDEKS AND GENERA. 

 I. SAXIFRAGES. Herbs. Stipules none or adnate. Petals Inabricate, rarely convolute In 

 the bud. Calyx free or partly adherent, (a) 



a Petals wanting. Ovary adherent, 1-celled. Stamens 10 Chrysosplenhim. 1 



a Petals pinnatifld. Ovary half adherent, 1-celled. Stamens 5 or 10 Mitklla. 2 



a Petals entire. — Stamens 10. — Ovary l-celled, nearly free Tiarblla. JJ 



— Ovary 2-celled. Fls. perfect. Lvs. simple.. .Saxifraoa. 4 

 — Ovary 2-celled. Fls. polygamous. Lvs. comp...A8TiLBE. 6 



—Stamens 5. — Ovary 2-celled, adherent. Seed rough Boykinia. 6 



— Ovary 2-celled, free. Seed wing-margined. .Sullivantia. T 



—Ovary 1-celled,— Styles and carpels 2 IIeucuera. 8 



— Styles and carpels 3 Lepuropktalon. ? 



II. E3CALLONIEJ3. Shrubs loith alternate lvs., no stipules and a vnlvate corolla bud. (b) 



b Calyx free from the 2-celIed ovary. Stamens 5. Capsule oo -seeded Itea. 10 



b Calyx adherent to the ovary. Stain. 5. Ber. CO -seeded. (From S. Am.)..EscALLONiA. 11 

 III. IIYDKANtrEjE. Shrubs with opposite, simplo leaves and no stipules, (c) 



C Corolla valvate in the bud. — Cymes radiate. Shrub erect Hydrangea. 12 



— Cymes naked. Shrub climbing Decumaria. 13 



O Corolla convolute in the bud.— Stamens 20 to 40. Petals 4 PniLADKLPnus. 14 



— Stamens 10. Petals 5. (Asiatic) Deutzia. 15 



1. CHRYSOSPLE^NIUM, Tourn. Water Carpet. (Gr. xP^^^o?, 

 gold, oirXriv, the spleen ; on account of the medicinal qualities.) Calyx 

 adnate to the ovary, 4'to 5-lobed, more or less colored inside ; corolla 

 0; stamens 8 to 10, superior, short ; styles 2 ; capsule obcordato, com- 

 pressed, 1-celled, 2-valved, many-seeded. — Small aquatic herbs. 



C. Amerioanum Schw. Lvs. opposite, roundisb, slightly crenate, tapering to 

 tlie petiole. — A small plant, in springs and streams, spreading upon the muddy 

 surface. St. square, 3 to 6' long, divided in a dichotomous manner at top. Lvs. 

 opposite, \' in length, smooth. Calyx 4-oleft, greenish-yellow, with purple lines. 

 Corolla 0, stamens 8, very short, with orange-colored anthers, which are the only 

 conspicuous part of the flower. The terminal flower is sometimes decandrous. 

 Apr., May. 



2. MITEL'LA, Tourn. Mitre-woet. (A Lat. diminutive from mitra, 

 a mitre. See Tiarklla.) Calyx 5-cleft, carapanulate, adherent to the 

 base of the ovary ; petals 6, pectinately pinnatifld, inserted on the 

 throat of the calyx ; stamens 5 or 10, included ; styles 2, short; cap- 

 sule 2-beaked, 1-celled, with two equal .valves. — U Fls. small, in a slen- 

 der raceme or spike. 



24 



