ACCOUNT OF GENUS SEDUM AS FOUND IN CULTIVATION. 119 
Aizoon and kamtschaticum, combining some of the characters of each 
of these species. 
It resembles Aizoon closely in inflorescence, flower, and fruit, the 
only reliable difference in these features appearing to be that in Ella- 
comhianum the fruiting carpel is deeper above owing to a bulging of 
the inner edge, than in Aizoon : in consequence it is more abruptly 
contracted into the beak, and its upper edge lies almost horizontally, 
instead of sloping inwards (compare a, h, fig. 54). It differs from 
Aizoon in the absence of a much-thickened rootstock and tuberous 
Telephium-like roots, in its light-green colour, in its numerous arching 
stems (not tall and erect), and its spathulate crenate-serrate leaves 
(not lanceolate or ovate-lanceolate sharply serrate) (fig. 61). 
It resembles S. kamtschaticum in its rootstock much branched up- 
wards, forming a tangle above the surface of the ground, the new stems 
arising from the lower part of the old ones (not direct from the thickened 
Fig. 61. — Leaves of 5. Ellacombianiim. x i. 
rootstock as in Aizoon), and prolonged downwards into strong branching 
tap-roots bearing dense tufts of short fibrous rootlets. It differs from 
kamtschaticum in its stems never branched, light (not dark) green in 
colour, broader crenate (not serrate) leaves, dense inflorescence, smaller 
flowers (I inch instead of | inch diameter) , sepals J (instead of -J) the 
length of the petals, and absence of red coloration in flower or fruit. 
Description. — A smooth herbaceous perennial, forming a compact more or 
less hemispherical tuft about 6 inches high. Rootstock much branched upwards, 
ultimate branches slender, prolonged downwards into one or more thick tap- 
roots much branched below, and bearing tufts of rootlets. Stems annual, arising 
in spring, all flowering, numerous, unbranched, spreading, 4-6 inches long, 
smooth, round, reddish below. Leaves opposite, rather crowded, inch long 
by I inch broad, fiat, fleshy, bright fresh green, rather paler on back, obovate to 
spathulate, tapering below to a very short petiole, crenate-serrate above with 
4-6 teeth on either side and a large rounded terminal tooth. Inflorescence com- 
pact, leafy, flat, umbellate, about inches across, of 3 to 5 branches with a 
flower in the centre ; branches forked with a flower in the forks ; each flower 
subtended by a bract, the lower ones leaf-like, the uppermost linear and very 
small. Buds ovate, acute. Flowers generally clear yellow, without admixture 
of orange or red, f inch across, lower ones shortly stalked, upper sessile. Sepals 
green, blunt, linear and terete in upper §, lower part broadening considerably. 
Petals bright yellow, wide-spreading, lanceolate, acute, keeled, twice the sepals. 
Stamens spreading, yellow, slightly shorter than the petals, the epipetalous ones 
nearly free, anthers often tinged reddish. Scales whitish, about as long as broad. 
