ORPINE FAMILY 



in the catalogues as Echevbria. The generic difference between 

 them and Sedum lies in the union of the petals which in Sedum 

 are distinct. The best-known species is seciinda glauca, a variety 

 with blue-green leaves. 



HOUSELEEK. HEN-AND-CHICKENS 



Sempervivum tectdrum. 



Sempervivum, always living; because of the vitality of the plant. 



This is one of the common species largely used for carpet-bedding. 

 The plant appears as a resettle of thickened leaves and propagates by 

 offsets and short runners. 



ieow^.— Thick, short, oval, or obovate, smooth except the margins, 

 mucronate; sixty to eighty in a single rosette. 



Flowering stems. — Six to nine inches high, leafy. 



Flowers.— Bomt in panicles; pale-yellow or dull-purple. 



Flower />ar/i.— Sepals, petals, stamens, and pistils normally twelve, 

 but varying six to twelve. 



Houseleek. Sempervivum tectbrum 



The Houseleek is so called because in Europe this variety is 

 found growing on the thatched roofs of houses. It also has the 

 name Hen-and-Chickens, which is popularly given to many repre- 

 sentatives of the genus because the plants increase by little rosettes 

 that are sent out from the parent plant. The genus numbers 

 about forty species whose family resemblance is so marked that 



230 



