C R A 
II. Grassul a ( P'ortulacaria ) foliis obovatis, oppofitis, I 
caule arboreo. Lin. Sp. 406. Lejfer Orpine with ob- 
verfe oval leaves placed oppofiie , and a tree-like ftalk. 
Craffula portulacse facie arborefcens. Hort. Elth. 120. 
tab. 90. 
The firft fort hath a round reddifh ftalk, which is 
jointed, riling about three feet high, which divides 
upward into many irregular branches, garnifhed with 
oblong plain leaves placed oppofite, having a griftly 
border, fet with fmall filver hairs, and clofely em- 
brace the ftalks with their bafe. The flowers are 
produced at the end of the branches in clofe umbels, 
fitting very clofe to the end of the branches j thefe 
are funnel-fhaped, having pretty long tubes cut at 
the top into five parts, which fpread open *, they are 
of a fine fcarlet colour, and ftand ered ; the ufual 
time of their flowering is July or Auguft. This is 
propagated by cuttings during any of the fummer 
months ; thefe fliould be cut off about a fortnight 
before they are planted, and laid in a dry place that 
the wounded part may heal over ; then they fliould 
be each planted in a fmall pot filled with light fandy 
earth, and plunged into a moderate hot-bed, giving 
them but little water. In about fix weeks thefe will 
have put out roots and begin to grow, when they 
fliould have a large fliare of air admitted to them, and 
muft be gradually inured to bear the open air, into 
which they fliould be removed, placing them in a 
flickered fituation, where they may remain till au- 
tumn i when they mull be removed into a dry airy 
glafs-cafe, where they may enjoy the fun as much as 
poflible, and be fcreened from the wet and cold. In 
warm dry weather, during the fummer months while 
they are abroad, thefe plants fliould be gently watered 
two or three times a week •, but in winter they fliould 
have very little water, left it rot their ftems. Thefe 
plants require no artificial heat in winter, but they 
muft be fecured from froft and wet. 
The fecond fort will rife with an upright ftalk ten or 
twelve feet high, if it is not broken or injured, but it 
requires fupport ; for the ftalks being flender, and the 
leaves very weighty, they are very fubjeft to break, 
efpecially if they are expofed to the wind. The leaves 
of this plant are about three inches long ; they are 
hollowed on the upper fide, and have a convex ridge 
on their lower, and are placed oppofite, furrounding 
the ftalks with their bafe ; thefe alternately crofs each 
other ; they are very thick, fucculent, and of a pale 
green colour, ending in acute points ; at the top of 
the ftalk the flowers are produced in large clufters ; 
they are of a whitifti herbaceous colour, having (hort 
tubes, which are cut into five parts at the brim, 
fpreading open. The ftalk which fuftains the flowers 
is pretty thick and fucculent, generally turning firft 
downward, and then upward again, almoft in' the 
form of a fyphon. It flowers in July, but doth not 
produce feeds here. This fort is propagated by cut- 
tings in the fame manner as the firft, and the plants 
require the fame treatment. 
The third fort rifes with a weak fucculent ftalk 
about two feet high, fending out many irregular 
branches, garniflied with oblong, oval, thick leaves, 
plain on their upper fide, but convex below, of a 
deep green ; their borders are fet with a few fil very 
hairs. The ftalk which fupports the flowers rifes 
from the top of the branches, and is from four to 
fix inches long, putting out feveral fide branches, which 
grow eredt ; thefe are terminated by large clufters of 
fmall greenifti flowers, which appear in June and July. 
This is propagated by cuttings in the fame manner 
as the two former, but being pretty hardy, fliould 
not be fo tenderly treated •, for if the cuttings of 
this are planted in a border of light earth, they will 
put out roots, and may afterward be taken up and 
potted, to be fheltered in winter. 
The fifth fort hath a very weak fucculent ftalk, which 
rifes about a foot and a half high, dividing upward 
into fmall branches, garniflied with thin rough leaves 
which are flat, near two inches long, and a quarter 
broad at their bafe, gradually narrowing to a point j 
C R A 
thefe are rough, placed oppofite, and embrace’ the 
ftalks with their bafe. The flowers come out in fmaft 
clufters at the end of the branches ; they are filial!* 
and of an herbaceous colour, fo make no figure j 
they appear in June and July. This may be propa- 
gated by cuttings, which may be treated in the fame 
manner as the fourth fort. 
The fixth fort never rifes with a ftalk, but the leaves 
come out dole to the ground, forming a fort of head j. 
they are taper, fucculent, ending in points, and fre- 
quently put out roots ; out of the center of thefe 
arife the flower-ftalk, which grow about fix inches 
high, branching into two or three (hoots upward, 
each being terminated by clufters of greenifti flowers, 
which make no great appearance. It flowers in May, 
and fometimes again in the latter part of fummer. 
This is propagated by taking off the heads, or fide 
offsets, which fhould be laid to dry three or four days 
before they are planted ; then they may be treated 
in the fame manner as the other hardier forts before- 5 
mentioned. 
The feventh fort hath been lately introduced to the 
gardens in Holland, from the Cape of Good Hope j 
it was fent me by Dr. Adrian Van Royen* late pro- 
feflbr of botany at Leyden. This hath very flender 
ftalks, which are full of joints, fo trail upon the 
ground, unlefs they are fupported, clofely garniflied 
with thick, fucculent, heart-fhaped leaves, placed 
oppofite, which are clofely joined at their bafe, fo 
that the ftalks run through them ; they are of a grayifh 
colour •, the ftalks are divided, and grow about eight 
or nine inches long, and are terminated by clufters of 
fmall white flowers, fitting very clofe to the top of the 
ftalks ; thefe appear in the fpring, and alfo again in 
the latter part of fummer. It is propagated by cut- 
tings in the fame manner as the other hardier forts, 
and may be treated in the fame way. 
The eighth fort was fent me from Leyden, by the 
gentleman before-mentioned j this rifes with a flirubby 
ftalk four or five feet high, dividing into many 
branches, which at firft are taper and fucculent, but 
by age becomes ligneous ; they are garniflied with 
very flender, taper, fucculent leaves, which are near 
three inches long, and are flaccid, generally turning 
downward, efpecially in winter, when they are in the 
houfe ; but as it hath not as yet flowered here, I can 
give no further defcription of it. This is equally hardy 
with the former forts, and takes eafily from cuttings, 
fo may be treated in the fame way as the former. 
The ninth fort is a low plant, with the appearance of 
Houfleek, having open fpreading heads very like 
thofe of feme forts of Houfleek, which grow on the 
ends of very flender trailing ftalks, which are pro- 
duced in plenty on every fide the parent plant, in like 
manner as the childing Marigold. The flower-ftalks 
arife from the center of thefe heads, which are naked, 
about four inches long, and are terminated by clofe 
clufters of herbaceous flowers, which appear in dif- 
ferent feafons of the year. This plant propagates 
very fail by the fide heads, which come out from the 
parent plant, which frequently put put roots as they 
trail on the ground, fo may be taken off and potted, 
during any of the fummer months ^ this is equally 
hardy with the former forts, fo the plants may be 
treated in the fame way. 
The tenth fort hath very flender, trailing, fucculent 
ftalks, of a reddifh colour, which put out roots at the 
joints as they lie' upon the ground. The ftalks and 
leaves of this fort have the appearance of Purflane, 
but trail upon the ground like Chickweed. The flow- 
ers are produced in fmall clufters at the end of the 
branches ^ thefe are white, with a blufti of purple at 
their brim •, they appear in fummer at different times, 
and are often fucceded by feeds, which grow eafily. 
This fort is eafily propagated by its trailing branches, 
and the plants require the fame treatment as the other 
hardy forts, but unlefs they are often renewed will 
decay. 
The eleventh fort rifes with a very thick, ftrong, fuccu- 
lent ftalk to the height of three or four feet, fending out 
6 branches 
4 
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14 
