56 FAMILIAR WILD FLOWERS. 



minently ribbed, the space between the ribs being mem- 

 braneous and semi-transparent, and the whole sepal very 

 concave in form ; and between these two others, very small 

 and inconspicuous. The entire thing may be very well 

 seen in the flower that has its back to us in our figure ; 

 and we may see again this compound of large and small 

 parts clearly in the buds. The corolla consists of five 

 broadly-spreading and bright-yellow petals, the outer edge 

 being slightly notched, and the texture very suggestive 

 of a soft and silky kind of tissue-paper. The stamens 

 are very numerous, and form a rather compact-looking 

 mass in the centre of the flower. 



Those who have any rock-work or a dry sloping bank 

 in their gardens will find the rock rose a very efficient 

 decoration, though it will be necessary, as far as possible, to 

 assimilate the conditions of the soil, with an open sunny 

 aspect, to those enjoyed by the plant in its wild state. The 

 plant varies in the colour of its blossoms more than many 

 wild flowers do, some being almost lernon-colour, while in 

 others the petals have a darker-yellow blotch at their base. 



