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tan 
Saxifracee—A stilbe. 179 
flowers are small, pure white, in large branching racemose 
panicles; branches red. It blooms in the open air towards the 
end of May; but its chief value is for forcing for conservatory 
and window decoration. A native of Nepal and Japan. 
Two or three other species are less frequently grown: 
A. dectndra, about two feet high, with biternate leaves and 
white flowers, from Carolina; A. rivuldris, with reddish flowers, 
from Nepal. Heuchéra, Mitélla, and Tiarélla are allied 
genera of less interest, with rose or white flowers. 
2. SAXIFRAGA. 
Perennial or annual herbs, of various habit. Leaves small 
and rosulate or rarely large, with sheathing petioles. Calyx- 
tube short or long, free or adnate to the base of the ovary, 
5-lobed. Petals 5, rarely unequal, sometimes fringed or glan- 
dular, perigynous or nearly hypogynous. Stamens 10, rarely 
5, inserted with the petals. Capsule 2-celled, with 2 beaks, 
seeds numerous. About 160 species, chiefly from the moun- 
tains of the north temperate zone 
and arctic regions, a few extend- 
ing to South America. The name 
is from the Latin saxwm, a stone 
or rock, and frango, to break, 
from the reputed property of 
some species to break stone in 
the bladder, or the rocks they 
grow upon. 
1. S. crassifolia (fig. 96).— 
About a foot high, with dark 
green glossy leaves and pink cr 
purplish flowers, rarely exceeding af 
the leaves, and appearing ir —s. S 
March. This is a native of ~—»X 
Siberia, and a comnion plant in 
gardens. S. ligulata, S. ciliata, 
and S. cordifolia belong to this 
group. The first has strap-shaped 
glabrous fringed leaves and red 
or white flowers in May, and is 
a native of Nepal; the second, 
from the same country, has roundish hirsute and ciliate leaves 
and purplish flowers; and the third has deeply cordate leaves 
a2) 
Fig. 96, Saxifraga crassifolia, (} nat. size.) 
