SAXIFRAGE FAMILY 167 



or half-inferior, 2-chambered ovary, with parietal placentation, 

 numerous ovules, and 2 styles ; fruit of 2 follicles or united below 

 into a capsule. (Name in Latin signifying rock-breaker, many of 

 the species growing in crevices of rocks.) 



* Flowers purple 



1. S. oppositifblia (Purple Mountain Saxifrage). — Alow-growing, 

 tufted, glabrous plant, with trailing stems ; small, opposite, and 

 decussate fleshy leaves; and relatively large, solitary, bright 

 purple flowers. — Alpine rocks in the north. — Fl. April, May. 

 Perennial. 



** Flowers croivded, white 



2. S. nivalis (Clustered Alpine Saxifrage). — An alpine plant, 

 3 — 6 in. high ; leaves all radical, obovate, crenate, thick, red 

 beneath ; flowers rather large, white, 4 — 12 together, in a compact 

 head. High mountains in the north ; rare. — Fl. July, August. 

 Perennial. 



*** Flowers in loose cymes white, with two coloured dots 

 on each petal. 



3. »S. stelldris (Starry Saxifrage). — A mountain plant, 3 — 5 in. 

 high ; leaves in a rosette, scarcely stalked, oblong, wedge-shaped, 

 coarsely toothed ; floivers rather large, few, white, with two yellow 

 spots on each petal. — By mountain rivulets in the north. — Fl. 

 June, July. Perennial. 



4. S. Geum (Kidney-shaped Saxifrage), with reniform, tufted 

 leathery, toothed leaves and small white flowers dotted with pink. 



5. S. hirsiita, more hairy, with oval leaves ; and 



6. S. umbrbsa (St. Patrick's Cabbage, London Pride, or None- 

 so-pretty), with obovate leaves, are closely allied, rare species, 

 occurring on mountains in the west and south-west of Ireland. 

 The last is a well-known garden plant, making itself at home even 

 in the smoky gardens of London, and occurs in many places as a 

 naturalised escape. — Fl. June. Perennial. 



**** j?i owers yellow 



7. 5. Hirculus (Yellow Marsh Saxifrage). — A handsome species, 

 about 6 in. high, with runners ; stem erect, branched, leafy, downy 

 above ; radical leaves in a rosette, lanceolate ; cauline leaves linear ; 

 flowers large, solitary, or nearly so, yellow, spotted with scarlet. — 4 

 Wet moors ; rare. — Fl. August. Perennial. 



8. S. aizoides (Yellow Mountain Saxifrage). — A smaller, more 

 tufted, prostrate and branched species ; leaves very narrow, fleshy, 



