92 JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
In the early stages of growth this species recalls S. maximum rather 
than 5. spectahile, on account of its green colour, comparatively narrow 
outline and sessile leaves, broad and rounded at the base ; the shape 
and colour of the inflorescence recall spectahile strongly, and the flowers 
resemble those of spectahile with all the parts shortened. The different 
proportions of the plant give it an appearance different from spectahile : 
thus, the ratio of height to diameter of inflorescence is about 3 to i in 
spectahile, 6 to i in pseudospectahile ; the ratio of height to width of the 
plant across the leaves is 2 J to i in spectahile, 5 to i in the other. The 
length of the petals, stamens, and carpels is in pseudospectahile f of 
that found in spectahile, while their breadth remains the same.- In 
the Telephium group, the floral characters are often so similar in 
quite different species that the similarity of flower in the two species 
under consideration does not necessarily suggest merely varietal 
difference. 
Named from its resemblance to S. spectahile. 
28. Sedum spectabile Boreau (figs. 36/, 43). 
S. spectahile Boreau in " Mem. Soc. Acad. Maine-et-Loire," 20, 116, 1866. 
Maximowicz in Bull. Acad. Petershourg, 29, 140, 1883. Masters 
in Gard. Chron. 1878, ii. 336. 
Illustrations. — Regel, " Gartenflora," tab. 709, figs. 1-3. Saunders, "Refug. 
Botan.," tab. 32. " Illustration Horticole," 8, tab. 271. Jordan and Fourreau, 
" Icones Plant. Europ.," 1, pi. 100. 
One of the most noble of Sedums. Its very large flat panicles of 
pinkish flowers set among the pale glaucous foliage render it a valuable 
plant for the border in autumn. Common in cultivation it is not 
easily confounded with any other species. The very long stamens, 
exceeding the petals, alone will distinguish it if any doubt exists. As 
in several of the Telephium group, the arrangement of the leaves varies, 
but they are generally in opposite pairs or in threes. 
Under the names of var. atropurpureum, var. " Brilliant," etc., 
forms with deeper-coloured flowers are offered for sale, which are 
generally regarded as improvements on the pink-flowered type. 
Like several of the Telephium group, it prefers a heavier soil than 
suits the majority of Sedums. 
Description. — A robust glaucous herbaceous perennial, i-ij feel high. 
Root of several carrot-shaped tubers. Stems erect, stout, leafy, unbranched, 
smooth, round. Leaves usually opposite or ternate, wide-spreading, subsessile, 
obovate, about 3 inches long by 2 inches broad (up to 5 by 3), fleshy, rather 
weakly and distantly toothed, slightly wedge-shaped below. Inflorescence a 
very large flat-topped dense corymb, 4-6 inches across, pedicels rather 
shorter than the flowers. Buds pointed, thrice as long as broad. Flowers 
pink, very numerous, i inch across. Sepals whitish-green, lanceolate, ^ the 
petals, separate nearly to the base. Petals pink, lanceolate, acute, semi-erect 
or patent, J inch long. Stamens rather variable in length, those opposite the 
petals slightly exceeding them, those between the petals J longer than the 
others ; anthers purple. Scales whitish, cuneate, emarginate. Carpels erect, 
pink, slightly shorter than the petals, erect in fruit- 
