Saaifraga. ] XXXII SAXIFRAGACHS. 167 
Lowland plant. Stemerect. Lower leavescrenate 6. 8. granulata, 
High alpine plants. Stems weak. Lower leaves 
angular or deeply lobed. 
Petals at least twice as longas thecalyx . . 7. S. cernua 
Petals scarcely exceeding the calyx . . 8. S. rwularis. 
Radical leaves, ovate, toothed. Stem almost leafless, 
with a terminal head of small flowers. . 10. 8S. 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. 8S. stellaris. 
Flowers pink. Leaves thick and leathery, crenate. 
Leaves obovate, narrowed atthe base , . |. 12, 8. 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. 374). Purple Saxifrage.—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 
etals. 
In moist alpine situations, in the higher mountain-ranges of Europe, and 
Russian and central Asia, extending far into the Arctic regions. Common 
in the loftier Scotch mountains, and also found, but sparingly, on some of 
the higher Irish, Welsh, and northern English mountains. 7. spring and 
early summer. 
2. S. aizoides, Linn. (fig. 375). Yellow Sawifrage.—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 
—aloose 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, to about half its length, to the 
short tube of the calyx. 
On wet rocks or gravel, along rills and springs, in almost all mountainous 
districts of Europe, Russian Asia, and northern America, to the Arctic 
circle, descending also much lower than the last. Abundant in Scotland, 
the north of England, and some parts of Ireland, but apparently wanting 
in Wales. FV. summer and autumn. 
3, S. Hirculus, Linn. (fig. 376). Marsh Saxifrage.—Perennial stock 
still shorter than in the last, and often reduced to a small tuft. Leaves 
alternate, narrow-oblong or linear, and entire. Flowering stems ascending 
as in S. aizoides, to about 6 inches, but terminated by a single, rather 
large flower; the calyx almost entirely free, with oblong, reflexed divisions, 
not half so ‘long as the erect, narrow-obovate or oblong, yellow petals. 
Capsule rather large, ending in 2 spreading beaks. 
