Part II. SAXJFRAGA. 313 



an inch high, and reminding one of the flowers of Aretia 

 Vitalliana. The stems and stem-leaves are densely clothed 

 with short glandular hairs like those of a Drosera. Like most 

 of its brethren, not difficult to grow, but requires a moist and 

 well-drained soil, and, being so dwarf and tiny, must be guarded 

 from being overrun by coarser neighbours. A native of the 

 Pyrenees ; increased by seed and careful division. 



SAXrPRAGA ASPERA. — Rough Saxifrage. 



A SMALL, grey, tufted, prostrate plant, with lance-shaped and 

 ciliated leaves, the lower ones closely imbricated, the upper 

 ones somewhat scattered, producing few flowers, rather large, 

 but of a dull white colour, on stems about three inches high. 

 S. bry aides is considered a variety of this, and forms a densely 

 tufted diminutive plant, with pale yellow flowers, the rosettes of 

 leaves being almost globular, and the plant not forming stolons 

 or runners like the preceding. I have never seen either of these 

 plants displaying any beauty of bloom, but both are worthy of 

 growing for their moss-like character. Both are natives of the 

 Pyrenees ; .S. bry aides in the most elevated regions. Both are 

 quite easy of cultivation, growing freely in the open air in 

 London, but rarely flowering there. 



SAXIFEAGA BIFLOEA. — Two-flowered Saxifrage- 



A BEAUTIFUL dwarf species, allied to the British species S. op- 

 pasitifalia, but larger in all its parts, and immediately distin- 

 guished by producing two or three flowers together, and by 

 having its leaves thinly scattered, and not packed on the stems 

 like those of that species. It is also a much larger plant, 

 and has larger flowers, rose-coloured at first, changing to 

 violet. I found it in abundance on fields of grit and shat- 

 tered rock, in the neighbourhood of glaciers on very elevated 

 parts of the Alps, in company with Campanula cenisiaj and 

 just without the margins of the vast fields of snow, under which^ 

 even in June, lay numberless plants waiting for an opportunity 

 to open when the snow had thawed. It grew entirely in loose 

 grit so that with a little care, masses of the branched imbedded 

 stems and long fine roots could be taken up entire. I beheve it 

 usually inhabits like positions in what may be termed moving 

 ddbris, but like many other plants the conditions in which it 



