Saxifraga Oppositifolia, 
Purple Saxifrage 
Linn. Gen. P /. Decandria Digynia. 
Cal. 5-partitus. Cor. 5-petala. Capi, 2-roftris, i-locdam, polyfperma. 
RaiiSya.Gen. 24. Herb-s pentapetalJ! vasculifer^. 
SAXIFRAGA FL^A^l. £^/2! 
p. 180 Purple Saxifrage, Lightfoot, Scot. v. l.p. 222. 
SAXIFRAGA foliis ovatis quadrangulo imbricatis ramis procumbentibus. Lina. FI. Lapp. 1179. 
SAXIFRAGA caule repente, foliis quadrifariam imbricatis, cartilagineis ciliatis. Hali. Hijl. 980. 
SEDUM alpinum ericoides cceruleum. Baith. Pin. 284. et purpurafcens. ejufi. 
SAXIFRAGA alpina ericoides flore cceruleo. Tourn. lnjl. 253. Pan Syn. p. 353. ei. 3. Mountain 
Heath-like Sengreen, with large purple Flowers. 
RADIX perennis, fibrofa, fufca. $ 
CAULES plurimi, procumbentes, repentes, teretes, <| 
inferne nudi, fu Tei, e petris et rupibus faspe § 
dependentes funiculorum inftar. 5 
FOLIA alterne oppofita, circa caules floriferos im- i 
bricatim denfe collocata, fubconnata, obovata, | 
concava, fubcarnofa, ad margines ciliata, h 
apicibus depreflis callofis albidis, lurculorum \ 
magis remota. v 
FLORES in fummis caulibus fefliles, folitarii, magni, $ 
fpeciofi, primum lacte purpurei, demum a 
ccerulefcentes. $ 
CALYX : Perianthium pentaphyllum, foliolis ova- $ 
tis, ciliatis, coloratis, inaequalibus, caulinis @ 
perquam fimilibus, fg. i. ? 
COROLLA: Petala 5, fubrotunda, unguibus bre- | 
vibus inftruCta, Jig. 2. A 
NECT ARIUM : fubftantia glandulofa ad bafin ger- A 
minis neClar copiofe fundens. | 
STAMINA: Filamenta'io, ereCla, fubulata, pur- A 
purafcentia ; Anther -e ovales, compreflae, Q 
purpureae; Pollen aurantiaoum, fg. 3'. _ v 
PISTILLUM: Germen inferum; Styli duo, fubulati, ? 
ereCli, longitudine flaminum, inferne flave- a 
fcentes, fuperne 1 rubelli ; Stigmata duo ca- | 
pitata, villofa, rubra, fg. 4. | 
ROOT perennial, fibrous, of a brown colour. 
STALKS numerous, procumbent, creeping, round, 
below naked, brown, often hanging down 
like firings from Hones and rocks. 
LEAVES alternately oppofite, thofe on the flowering. 
flalks clofely imbricated, uniting nearly at 
the bafe, inverfely ovate, concave, fomewhat 
flefhy, fringed on the edges, tops flattened, 
callous and whitifh, thole on the young 
(hoots more remotely fituated. 
FLOWERS on the tops of the flalks, fefiile, folitary, 
large, fhewy, at firftof a lively purple colour, 
finally blueifh. 
CALYX: a Perianthium of five leaves, which are 
ovate, edged with hairs, coloured, unequal, 
and very like thofe of the ftalk, fg. 1. 
COROLLA : 5 roundifh Petals, furnifhed with 
fliort claws, fg. 2. 
NECTARY : a glandular fubftance at the bafe of the 
germen, affording much honey. 
STAMINA: 10 Filaments, upright, tapering, pur- 
plifh ; Anthers oval, flattened, purple; 
Pollen orange-coloured, fg. 3. 
PISTILLUM : Germen beneath; Styles two, taper- 
ing, upright, the length of the flamina, below 
yellowifh, above bright red; Stigmata 
two little villous red heads, fg. 4. 
This fpecies of Saxifrage, the only Britifh one with purple flowers, is found plentifully on the fummits 
of our highell mountains in England, Scotland, and Wales; we have obferved it both on Ingleborough and 
Pennigent in Yorkfhire, Mr. Lightfoot on moll of the Scotch mountains, and Mr. Lhwyd abundantly on 
Snowdon. 
It flowers much earlier than any of the genus, empurpling and enlivening the barren rocks (from which in 
fome fituations it hangs pendent to a great length) in April and May ; in our gardens near London it blows 
ufually in February and March ; when the bloffoms firft expand they are of a bright purple colour, as they 
go off they incline to blue; this variation in their colour has induced fome Botanifls to make two fpecies of 
ft. It is faid to vary with white flowers ; we do not know that any fuch variety has been feen in this country. 
The plant itfelf is very liable to vary from fituation ; when it throws expofed, the whole plant affumes a more 
compaCt appearance, the flalks are Ihorter, the leaves more clofely imbricated, the flowers more numerous; 
this is its natural, and moll beautiful (late ; in fliady and more (helter-ed fituations, the flalks fhoot to a greater 
length, the leaves are placed at greater intervals, affume a greener hue, and refemble fomewhat thofe of wild 
Thyme, in fuch fituations few or no flowers are produced. 
No mention is made of this plant by Gerard, or Parkinson ; in their time botanical refearches had not 
been puflied to the extent they have fince been; Richardson and Lhwyd, in the time of Ray, were aClive 
in exploring the mountains of Yorkfhire and Wales, it was referved for Mr. Ligiitfoot to penetrate further 
North, to vifit the untrodden heights of Caledonia, and gather it. 
’Tis only within a few years that this beautiful native* has been cultivated as an ornamental plant; fmall 
pots of it are now regularly brought to Covent-Garden-Market,, the latter end of February and beginning of 
March, where they are fold from one to two (hillings each. 
Though it be a hardy plant, and of ready growth, as moll of the Saxifrages are, yet it will not flower in 
perfection, as we have found by long experience, but under certain management, which is this, about the latter 
end of March divide a plant, which has filled a pot the preceding year, into many fmall pieces, taking care 
that each has a few fibres to it, plant about fix of thefe in the middle of a fmall pot, filled with a compofition 
of loam and rotten leaves, or bog earth, in equal parts, water them and fet them by in a fliady place for about 
a week, then plunge them in an open border, expofed not more than one half of the day to the fun ; in dry 
weather be particularly careful to water them once a day, they require no other attention, but this they will 
not difpenfe with ; the enfuing fpring, each pot will be covered with a profufion of bloom ; to continue them in 
perfeftion they muft be treated thus yearly. 
Mr. Miller recommends a fliady fituation for this plant, which we have ever found injurious, the fhelter of 
a green-houfe, quickly draws it up and fpoils it; it is indeed one of thofe plants which revolts at all tender 
treatment. 
One of its leaves when magnified becomes a curious objeCt, bearing a great refemblance to thofe of fome 
of tiie Fig-Marigolds. 
* Pulchra; planta; elegantiam difficile eft aut verbis exprimere aut penecillo. Hall. Hi/1. 
