170 THE SAXIFRAGE FAMILY, [Sawifraga. 
one or more tufts.of spreading leaves, rather thin, varying from oblong to 
obovate, with a few coarse teeth, and tapering at the base. When luxuriant 
these tufts are elongated into leafy branches of 1 or 2 inches. Stems erect, 
3 to6 inches high, leafless, except a small, leafy bract under each pedicel. 
Flowers from 2 or 3 to 8 or 10, rather small, white and starlike, on slender, 
spreading pedicels, forming a loose terminal panicle. Calyx free almost to 
the base, the segments closely reflexed on the pedicel. Petals narrow and 
spreading. Capsule rather large, with 2 diverging beaks. 
On wet rocks, and along rivulets and springs, in all the mountain- 
ranges of Europe and Russian Asia, from the Mediterranean to the Arctic 
regions, and also in northern America. Frequent in the mountains of 
North Wales and Ireland, and from those of Yorkshire throughout Scot- 
land. 
12. S. umbrosa, Linn. (fig. 385). London-pride Saxifrage, London 
Pride, St. Patrick’s Cabbage, None-so-pretty.—Perennial stock shortly 
branched, crowned by the spreading leaves, forming dense tufts, which m 
our gardens will attain near a foot in diameter. Leaves rather thick and 
leathery, usually glabrous, obovate, an inch or more in length, bordered. 
with cartilaginous crenatures or coarse teeth, and narrowed at the base into 
a short, more or less flattened stalk, ciliated at the edges. Stems erect, 
leafless, 6 inches to a foot high. Flowers small, pink, elegantly spotted 
with a darker colour, in a loose, slender panicle. Calyx free, with short 
segments closely reflexed on the pedicel. Petals much longer, ovate or 
oblong, and spreading. | 
In shady places, in Portugal, western Spain, and the higher Pyrenees, 
and reappearing in western and south-western Ireland. Cultivated from 
an early period in our gardens, it appears to have established itself in 
some localities in northern England and south-western Scotland. 7. 
early summer. 
13. S. Geum, Linn. (fig. 386). Kidney Saxifrage.—Closely allied to 
S. umbrosa in its habit and flowers, this species only differs in its leaves, 
which are orbicular, usually notched or cordate at the base, with long 
stalks, less flattened than in the last species, and usually very hairy; the 
leaves themselves also have often a few scattered hairs on both surfaces. 
The geographical range is the same as that of the S. wmbrosa, but it 
appears generally to prefer lower altitudes. In Britain 1t is confined to 
the mountains of Kerry and Cork. Fl. early summer. Specimens in some 
measure intermediate between this and the last species, with the leaves 
orbicular or nearly so, but not cordate, and the stalk somewhat flattened, 
have been gathered near Killarney. They have been published as species, 
under the names of S. hirsuta, Linn., and S. elegans, Mackay, whilst 
others consider them as hybrids. In favour of the latter supposition there 
appears to be but little evidence, and they are probably) mere varieties of 
S. umbrosa. 
II. CHRYSOSPLENIUM. CHRYSOSPLENE. 
Delicate herbs, perennial and creeping at the base; the short flowering 
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 segments. Petals none. 
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