170 THE SAXIFKAGE FAMILY. [Saxifraga. 



with sharply-toothed leaves, but narrowed into a short petiole, as a 

 probable hybrid with umbrosa.] 



II. CHRYSOSPLENIUM. CHRYSOSPLENE. 



Delicate herbs, perennial and creeping at the base ; the short flower- 

 ing stems ascending, and often of a golden yellow at the top ; with 

 orbicular leaves, no stipules, and small yellow flowers, in short leafy 

 terminal cymes. Calyx adherent, with 4, or rarely 5, short, free seg- 

 ments. Petals none. Stamens 8, rarely 10, inserted at the base of the 

 calyx- segments. Ovary adherent to near the top, where it is divided 

 into 2 short, conical lobes, each with a short style, and surrounded by 

 a crenated disk within the stamens. Capsules 1-celled, opening at the 

 top in 2 short valves. Seeds several, attached to 2 parietal placentas. 

 Albumen copious, with a small embryo. 



A small genus, spread over the temperate and colder regions of both 

 the northern and southern hemispheres. 



Leaves opposite 1.0. oppositifolium. 



Leaves alternate 2. 0. alternifolium. 



1. C. oppositifolium, Linn. (fig. 389). Golden Saxifrage.— The loose, 

 leafy tufts often spread to a considerable extent ; the stems searcely 

 rising above 4 or 5 inches from the ground, simple or forked near the 

 top. Leaves all opposite, 3 or 4 to 6 or 8 lines in diameter, slightly 

 crenated or sinuate, and notched at the base, with a few stiff hairs on 

 the upper surface. Flowers small and sessile, in little compact cymes, 

 surrounded by leaves like those of the stem, but smaller, more sessile, 

 and often of a golden yellow. Calyx- segments obtuse and spreading. 



In moist, shady places, along the sides of rivulets, over the greater 

 part of Europe and Russian Asia. Abundant in Britain. Fl. spring. 



2. C. alternifolium, Linn. (fig. 390). Alternate-leaved G. — Closely 

 resembles C. oppositifolium, but is usually of a paler colour ; the leaves 

 are always alternate, and the lower ones on longer stalks and rather 

 more of a kidney shape. 



In similar situations as O. oppositifolium, and much more common in 

 continental Europe, Russian and central Asia, and northern America, 

 extending into the Arctic regions. In Britain, on the contrary, much 

 less common than C. oppositifolium, although pretty generally distributed. 

 Fl. spring. The two species are frequently found growing together, but 

 appear always to retain their characters. 



III. PARNASSIA. PARNASSIA. 



Herbs, with a perennial stock, entire leaves, mostly radical, and erect, 

 annual flowering stems, usually bearing a single leaf, and a single ter- 

 minal flower. Calyx in the British species almost free, with 5 segments. 

 Petals 5, perigynous. Stamens perigynous, 5 perfect and 5 imperfect, • 

 bearing, instead of anthers, a tuft of globular-headed filaments. Stigmas 

 4, rarely 3, sessile. Capsule 1-celled, opening in 4, or rarely 3, valves. 

 Seeds very numerous, without albumen, inserted on 4, rarely 3, parietal 

 placentas, opposite the styles, and in the centre of the valves. 



A few species are inhabitants of bogs and wet places in Europe, Asia, 

 and North America. The above characters are so well marked, that the 





