166 THE SAXIFRAGE FAMILY. [Saxifraga. 



Calyx adherent at the base, the lobes erect or spreading. 

 Stem much branched at the base, with procumbent or 

 densely tufted barren shoots. Leaves narrow, simple 

 or 3-lobed. 

 Leaves or their lobes usually acute. Tufts loose . . 4. S. hypnoides. 

 Leaves or their lobes obtuse. Tufts dense . . . . 5. S. ccespitosa. 

 Stems simple or branched, without barren shoots at the 

 base. 

 Perennials, with the radical leaves larger, and longer 

 stalked. 

 Lower leaves rounded or palmate. Flowers solitary 

 or panicled. 

 Lowland plant. Stem erect. Lower leaves crenate 6. & granulata. 

 High alpine plants. Stems weak. Lower leaves 

 angular or deeply lobed. 

 Petals at least twice as long as the calyx . . 7. S. cernua. 

 Petals scarcely exceeding the calyx . . . 8. S. rivularis. 

 Radical leaves, ovate, toothed. Stem almost leafless, 



with a terminal head of small flowers . . .10. S. nivalis. 

 Annual, with narrow leaves, entire or 3-lobed . . . 9. S. tridactylites. 

 Calyx free, with reflexed divisions. 



Flowers white. Leaves thin, angular or acutely toothed . 11. S. stellaris. 

 Flowers pink. Leaves thick and leathery, crenate. 

 Leaves obovate, narrowed at the base . . . . 12. S. umbrosa. 

 Leaves orbicular, cordate or rounded at the base . . 13. S. Geum. 



The large, somewhat coarse Siberian S. crassifolia is common among 

 herbaceous plants in our gardens. The Chinese S. sarmentosa, with 

 long, hanging runners, is often grown in pots in cottage windows ; and 

 several species from the great European mountain-ranges form a large 

 proportion of all cultivated collections of alpine plants. 



1. S. oppositifolia, Linn. (fig. 376). Purple S. — Stems perennial, 

 creeping, very much branched, forming low, straggling tufts, of several 

 inches in diameter, seldom rising above an inch from the ground. 

 Leaves crowded, small, opposite, obovate, and ciliate. Flowers rather 

 large, handsome, and purple, often so crowded as almost to conceal the 

 foliage, although growing singly on very short, erect branches. Calyx- 

 tube adhering to the ovary and capsule up to more than half its length ; 

 the segments ovate, green, erect or spreading, not half so long as the 

 petals. 



In moist situations, in the higher mountain-ranges of Europe, Asia, 

 and North America, abundant in the Arctic regions. Common in the 

 loftier Scotch, and found, but sparingly, on some of the higher Irish, 

 Welsh, and northern English mountains. Fl. spring and early summer. 



2. S. aizoides, Linn. (fig. 377). Yellow S. — Stock short, sometimes 

 tufted, the flowering stems ascending to about 6 inches high. Leaves 

 alternate, narrow, rather thick, smooth and shining, about half an inch 

 long, entire or rarely notched with 1 or 2 teeth. Flowers yellow, in a 

 loose panicle of from 3 or 4 to a dozen or more. Calyx-segments not 

 much shorter than the petals, often narrow like them, and almost as 

 yellow, giving the flower the appearance of having ten petals with a 

 broad circular disk in the centre. Capsule adhering, for about half its 

 length, to the short tube of the calyx. 



On wet rocks or gravel, along rills and springs, in almost all moun- 

 tainous districts of Europe, Asia, and northern America, to the Arctic 

 Circle, descending also much lower than the last. Abundant in Scot- 

 land, the north of England, and some parts of Ireland, but apparently 

 wanting in Wales. Fl. summer and autumn. 



