160 THE CEASSULA FAMILY. {Sedum. 



Flowering stems at least 6 inches high. Cymes two or three 

 times divided. 

 Leaves flattened, acuminate . . . . . . 9. S. rupestre. 



Leaves cylindric with a subulate tip 10. S. reflexum. 



The S. JSieboldi, from Japan, and some exotic species, are to be met 

 with in our gardens. 



1. S. Bhodiola, DC. (fig. 361). Roseroot, Midsummer-men. — Stock 

 short, thick, and almost woody ; the annual stems erect, stout, simple, 

 6 inches to nearly a foot high, and leafy to the top. Leaves alternate, 

 sessile, obovate or oblong, slightly toothed, from 6 lines to an inch long, 

 the lower ones often reduced to brown scales. Flowers dioecious, 

 yellow or rarely purplish, forming rather dense cymes, surrounded by 

 the upper leaves, which often assume a yellow or purple tinge ; the 

 males with 8 stamens, rather longer than the petals and sepals ; the 

 females with 4 carpels, ending in short spreading styles. 



In clefts of rocks in northern and Arctic Europe and Asia, and in the 

 higher mountain ranges of central Europe and Asia. Abundant in the 

 mountains of Scotland, northern England, and Ireland, descending also 

 to maritime cliffs in western Scotland. Fl. summer. The smell of the 

 rootstock, when drying, has been compared to that of roses, whence its 

 name. 



2. S. Telephium, Linn. (fig. 362). Orpine, Livelong.-^-'Rootstock 

 perennial, the annual stems hard, erect, simple, about a foot high or 

 rather more. Leaves scattered, obovate, or oblong, and coarsely 

 toothed ; the lower ones 2 inches long or even more, and much 

 narrowed or even stalked at the base ; the upper ones often rounded at 

 the base. Flowers numerous, purple in the British variety, forming a 

 handsome corymb at the top of the stem. Sepals 5, short and pointed. 

 Petals more than twice as long. Stamens 10, rather shorter than the 

 petals. 



On the borders of fields, hedge-banks, and bushy places, in northern 

 and central Europe and Kussian Asia, chiefly confined to hilly districts 

 in the more southern portion of its area. Occurs in most of the British 

 counties, but has been so long cultivated in cottage gardens, and is so 

 very tenacious of life, that it is difficult to say how far it is really indi- 

 genous. Fl. summer, rather late. [S. Fdbaria, Koch, is a more slender 

 state, with the bases of the upper leaves cuneate, and smooth carpels.] 



3. S. anglicum, Huds. (fig. 363). English S. — A small perennial, 

 seldom more than 3 inches high, and quite glabrous in all its parts ; 

 the stems decumbent and much branched at the base, with short, thick, 

 almost globular leaves, crowded on the short barren branches, more 

 loosely scattered and occasionally opposite on the flowering ones. 

 Flowers white, occasionally tinged with pink, in a short, irregular 

 cyme. Sepals short and green. Petals more than twice as long, 

 lanceolate, and more or less pointed. 



In rocky or stony places, usually not far from the sea, in western 

 Europe, from Portugal, to southern Norway* ascending also high into 

 the mountains of the south-west. Abundant especially along the 

 western coast of Scotland, in Wales, and in Ireland, and appears also 

 occasionally, but more rarely, on the eastern coasts of England. FL 

 summer. 



4. S. dasyphyllum, Linn. (fig. 364). Thick-leaved S. — Very nearly 

 allied to 8. anglicum, but usually rather smaller, of a glaucous green, 



