168 THE SAXIFRAGE FAMILY. 
more or less covered with short spreading hairs, which become glandular 
in the upper part of the plant. Radical and lower leaves on long stalks, 
reniform, obtusely crenate or lobed, the upper ones few and small, more 
acutely lobed or entire. Flowers white, rather large, 3 to 6 together, 
in rather close terminal cymes. Calyx adherent to about the middle of } 
the ovary, with rather obtuse divisions, about half the length of the 4 
petals. 
In meadows, pastures, and on banks, throughout temperate Hurope, 
extending northward into Scandinavia, and eastward into central and 
northern Asia. Abundant in several parts of England and southern 
Scotland, but scarcely penetrates into the Highlands; rare in Ireland. 
Fl. spring and early summer. : 
7. S. cernua, Linn. (fig. 382). Drooping S.—In many respects allied 
to S. granulata, of which it may be a starved alpine variety. It is 
~ weaker, more glabrous, and slender; the stock does not always form 
distinct bulbs ; the leaves are smaller, angular or broadly lobed, and 
the upper ones have often little bulbs in their axils. Flowering stems 
more or less drooping at the summit, with 1 to 3 flowers, rather smaller 
than S. granulata. } 
At great elevations, in a few of the larger mountain-ranges of Europe 
and Asia, and all round the Arctic Circle. In Britain, only known on 
the summit of Ben Lawers, where, however, it very seldom flowers, and 
is now almost extinct. 
8. S. rivularis, Linn. (fig. 383). Brook S.—A glabrous plant, still 
smaller than S. cernua, which it much resembles in foliage. Perennial 
stock small, and seldom forming bulbs; radical leaves on long stalks, 
deeply 3- or 5-lobed. Flowering stems weak, only 2 to 3 inches long, 
with very few small leaves, and 1 to 8 flowers, like those of S. cernua, 
but much smaller, the petals scarcely exceeding the calyx. 
A high alpine or Arctic species, with nearly the same geographical 
range as S. cernua, but not soscarce. In Britain it occurs sparingly on 
Ben Lawers and Ben Nevis, and more abundantly on :Lochnagar. 
Fl, July. 
9, S. tridactylites, Linn. (fig. 384). Rue-leaved S.—A little erect 
annual, 2 to 5 inches high, simple or branched, and more or less clothed 
with a glandular down. Radical leaves very small, entire, and stalked. . 
Stem-leaves either entire and linear-oblong or more frequently 3-lobed. 
Flowers small, white, growing singly on rather long pedicels. Calyx 
adherent, with ovate segments not half so long as the petals. 
On walls and rocks, throughout Hurope and Russian Asia, from the 
Mediterranean to the Arctic Circle. Frequentin England, Ireland, and 
southern Scotland, less so farther north, especially on the western side. 
Fl. spring and early summer. 
10. S. nivalis, Linn. (fig. 385). Alpine S.—Perennial stock short and 
simple, but thick and hard, crowned with a tuft of spreading, obovate, 
toothed leaves, rather thick and leathery, and narrowed into a stalk at 
the base. Stems simple, erect, 2 to 5 inches high, slightly hairy in the 
upper part, leafless, or with 1 or 2 small leaves close under the flowers. 
These are small, collected together in little terminal heads. Calyx 
adherent to about half-way up the oxary, with shortly oblong spreading 
segments, about the length of the obovate, white petals. 
In the mountains of northern and Arctic Europe and Asia, and on the 
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