424 



PRACTICAL GUIDE TO GARDEN PLANTS saxipeaga 



of deep red-purple flowers on stalks 1-2 

 in. high; the \&inety pygmcea anAcrocea, 

 as well as the closely related 8. aromatica, 

 S. exarata, S. pedemontama and 8. Rhei, 

 are all more or less beautiful rock plants. 



Culture d-c. as above for 8. ajugce- 

 folia, p. 417. 



S. mutata. — A Swiss species 6-12 in. 

 high. Leaves flat spoon-shaped, carti- 

 laginously crenated, fringed with long 

 clammy hairs. Flowers in summer, 

 reddish-brown, with deeper coloured dots, 

 and borne in panicles. 



Culture dc. as above for 8. Aizoon. 



S. nivalis. — A British species with 

 rather leathery, broadly spoon-shaped, 

 ci-enate-toothed leaves, reddish beneath, 

 i-1 in. wide, stalks 1-2 in. long. Flowers 

 in July and August, white, j in. across, 

 4-12 in a capitate cyme 3-6 in. high. 



Culture d-c. as above for 8. Clusi. 



S. oppositifolia. — A handsome British 

 species with creeping leafy stems 6-8 in. 

 long. Leaves opposite, densely crowded, 

 ovate or obovate, flat, blunt, ciliated. 

 Flowers in April and May, bright purple, 

 i in. across, on short annual shoots. 

 There are several varieties, among which 

 the following may be noted : alba, white 

 flowers ; major, with larger flowers than 

 the type ; splendens, very bright coloured 

 flowers ; pyrenaica superba, a strong- 

 growing variety with rosy-lilac flowers 

 twice as large as those of the type. Other 

 forms more or less distinct in size and 

 colour are pyrenaica maxima, p. rubra, 

 and grandiflora. 



Closely related are 8. rudolphiana 

 with rosy-purple flowers usually one on 

 a staUt, sometimes two ; 6'. biflora, with 

 ■deep blood-red or bright rose flowers ; 

 8. Kochi, flowers rosy-purple in twos 

 or fours ; and 8. retusa, leaves short, 

 dense, and firm, flowers purple, in May 

 and June. 



Culture and Propagation. — Being a 

 native of the alpine regions of Wales and 

 Scotland, as well as Europe, this species 

 requires to be grown in well-drained 

 gritty soil, composed of sandy loam and 

 pieces of granite or other rock. As hot 

 summers are usually unfavourable to jt, 

 tlie plants should be placed on slopes or 

 banks of the rookery facing north, with 

 plenty of light and air, and during the 

 summer months should receive good 

 supplies of water. When well grown 

 they form dense carpets of green and look 



very handsome when in bloom. They 

 also make very charming pot plants for 

 a cold greenhouse. Increased by seeds, 

 division, or cuttings of the tips of the 

 non-flowering shoots. 



S. pallida. — A pretty little Saxifrage 

 native of the Sikkim Himalayas, where it 

 grows wild at an elevation of 13,000- 

 17,000 ft. It forms flat rosettes of green 

 spoon-shaped leaves, more or less toothed 

 on the margin, and produces its white 

 flowers, j-J in. across, in spring. It is 

 remarkable for the persistence of the 

 blunt elliptic petals during the ripening 

 of the seed. 



Culture <tc. as above for 8. Chisi. 



S. peltata (Umbrella Plant) . — This 

 is probably the largest of the Saxifrages. 

 It is found near streams in California, and 

 has roundish peltate 6-10-lobed leaves 6-18 

 in. wide, on cylindrical, downy stalks 1-2 

 ft. long, the lobes being cut and sharply 

 toothed. Flowers in April, white or pale 

 pink, ^ in. across ; petals elliptic, blunt. 



Culture and Propagation. — This 

 species grows luxuriantly near the edges 

 of ponds, streams &c. where its roots can 

 reach the water ; but it also flourishes in 

 moist shady parts of the ordinary flower- 

 border. The remarkable leaves, o^iing to 

 the depression in the centre where the 

 leaf stalk joins the blade, hold a consider- 

 able amount of water after a, heavy rain, 

 and during the autumn months they 

 assume rich and effective red and brown 

 tints. The plant may be increased by 

 seeds and division as recommended in the 

 general instructions under Saxifraga. 



S. pensylvanica (8wamp Saxifrage). 

 A Pennsylvanian species 1-2 ft. high. 

 Leaves clustered, oblanceolate, obscurely 

 toothed, 4-8 in. long, narrowed into short 

 broad stalks. Flowers in May and June, 

 greenish, small, many on an erect, downy, 

 clammy scape. 



Culture d-c. as above for 8. Clusi. 



S. pentadactylis. — A densely tufted 

 Pyrenean plant 3-6 in. high. Leaves with 

 long compressed stalks, smooth, 5-cleft. 

 Flowers in May and June, wliite, in loose 

 panicles. 



Culture d-c. as above for S. ojugee- 

 folia, p. 417. 



S. pseudo-sancta. — A tufted species 

 native of the Balkan Mountains, with 

 hairy stems and erect appressed linear 

 awl-shaped leaves, a little broader and 



