THE GOLDEN SAXIFRAGE— continued. 
the varied plants to which the name Sengreen has been applied. They have stalked, 
simple, kidney-shaped, cordate, radical leaves, whilst the upper cauline ones are 
spread out in the same plane as the little blossoms and are often of a golden yellow, 
thus making the inflorescence more conspicuous. The flowers are arranged in a 
corymbose cyme, the terminal blossom, which opens first, being pentamerous, though 
sometimes not formed, whilst the others are tetramerous. The yellow calyx-tube is 
adherent to the ovary : petals are absent ; and honey is secreted by an epigynous 
disk on the edge of which the stamens are inserted. The two carpels are united 
below into a one-chambered, many-ovuled ovary ; and the two recurved styles end 
in stigmas which mature at the same time as the anthers, or nearly so. Small insects 
visit the flowers for their honey ; but pollination is also apparently often effected by 
small snails, especially those of the genus Succinea. 
Of our two British species, C. alternifolium is more erect, with a triangular stem, 
branching only at the top ; scattered leaves ; and orange flowers ; while C. oppositi- 
folium is procumbent, has a quadrangular stem branching from its base, and opposite 
leaves, and is paler both in foliage and in blossoms. 
In hilly districts the Golden Saxifrages may form a bright green line across a 
mountain-side, marking the course of some little hidden torrent, and their matted 
growth has led to their being classed as exo-chomophytes^ or matted-screes-plants. In 
lowland situations we have known them to form a true peat, associated with Alder, 
Willows, and Marsh Marigold. 
In German their name is translated as Goldmilzy and in France they have the 
pretty name Dorine ; but in the Vosges they are eaten as salad and are then known 
as Cresson de roche. 
