THE STONECROP FAMILY 
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with red anthers ; carpels 5, pink, ending in a rather short beak. Stems 2-3 inches high, tufted, 
much branched, often red, leafy, with numerous barren shoots, growing in dense masses ; the 
leaves small, oblong, fleshy, stalkless, much crowded, overlapping on the barren shoots, with a 
blunt spur at the base on the under-side, often tinged with red. [Plate 44. 
Local. Common in Wales, the west coast of Scotland, and Ireland, especially near the sea, on 
rocks and walls. June — August. Perennial. 
Biting 1 Stonecrop, Wall-pepper. (Sedum acre, Linn.) — Very similar to the English 
Stonecrop. Differing in having yellow flowers, and thicker, more densely crowded leaves with a 
short spur against the stem. The leaves are very acrid to the taste. [Plate 44. 
Common. Rocks, walls, sandy ground. June — July. Perennial. 
^Tasteless Yellow Stonecrop. (Sedum sexang'ulare, Linn.)— Not a native. 
Distinguished from the Biting Stonecrop (Sedum acre) by its pointed sepals, narrower petals, 
and longer leaves growing in 6 distinct rows up the stem ; and by its less acrid flavour. 
Very rare. Not native. Old walls, chiefly in Kent. July — August. Perennial. 
Rock Stonecrop. (Sedum rupestre, Linn.) — Flowers larger than in any other British 
species, yellow, in a terminal cluster formed by 4-8 curved branches, each bearing 3-6 stalkless 
flowers. Sepals s ; petals 5; stamens 10; carpels 5. Stems 6-10 inches high, purplish-red, 
branched, with barren shoots ; the leaves crowded, stalkless, narrow, thick, flattened, pointed at 
the tip more or less abruptly, ascending ; stem and leaves with a bluish bloom. 
Rare. Usually an escape from gardens. Truly wild at Bristol, Cheddar, Great Orme’s Head. 
June — July. Perennial. 
*Reeurved Yellow Stonecrop. (Sedum reflexum, Linn.)— Not a native. A very 
similar species to the last. The flowers \ inch across, bright or pale yellow ; the sepals, petals, 
and carpels very often 6 in number, when the stamens are 12 ; the stems taller, 6-12 inches high, 
slender, tough ; and the leaves spreading or turned back (reflexed), crowded, cylindrical, and 
abruptly pointed at the tip (mucronate). 
Rare. An escape from gardens. Walls, dry banks, housetops. July — August. Perennial. 
Forster’s Stonecrop. (Sedum Fosterianum, Sm.)— Another very similar species to the 
Rock Stonecrop (Sedum rupestre), having roundish flower-clusters and bright green leaves. 
Rare. Wet rocks in Wales, Shropshire, and Somerset. June — July. Perennial. 
*HOUSE-LEEK. (SEMPERVIVUM, LINN.) — Flowers in terminal clusters, yellow, rose-colour, 
purple, or white. Sepals 6-20, united at the base; petals 6-20, as many as the sepals; stamens 
twice as many as the petals, in 2 rows, half usually without anthers ; carpels as many as the petals. 
Fruit clusters of as many follicles as there are carpels, many-seeded, opening down the inner edge. 
Fleshy herbs, with dense rosettes of oblong, fleshy leaves. 
*Common House-Leek. (Sempervivum teetorum, Linn.)— Not a native. Flowers 
f-i inch across, shortly-stalked, rose streaked with crimson, in a terminal branched cluster (cyme). 
Sepals 12, pointed; petals 12, pointed; stamens 24, with crimson filaments, 12 without anthers; 
carpels 12, dull rose-colour, becoming in fruit 12 follicles. Stem 9 inches to 2 feet high, thick, with 
barren shoots rising in the axils of the lower leaves ; the leaves in rosettes, and sparingly up the 
stalk, oblong, abruptly pointed (mucronate), edged with thick hairs, otherwise smooth, very fleshy, 
green edged with purple-red. [Plate 44. 
Rare. Not native. Roofs of cottages and old walls. July — August. Perennial. 
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