SAXIFRAGA, in botany, saxifrage, a genus of the Decandria Digynia class and order. Natural order of Succulent z. Saxi fragz, Jussieu. Essential character : ca lyx five-parted, five-petalled; capsule two-beaked, one-celled, many-seeded. There are fifty species ; of these we shall notice the S. granulate, or white saxi frage, which grows naturally in the mea dows in many parts of England. The roots of this plant are like grains of corn, of a reddish colour without : there is a va riety of this with double flowers, which is very ornamental. The leaves are tongue shaped, gathered into heads, rounded at their points, and have cartilaginous and sawed borders. The stalk rises two feet and a half high, branching out near the ground, forming a natural pyramid to the top. The flowers have five white wedge shaped petals, and ten stamina, placed circularly the length of the tube, termi nated by roundish purple summits. When these plants are strong, they produce ve ry large pyramids of flowers. S. umbrosa, commonly called London pride, or none so-pretty, grows naturally on the Alps, and also in great plenty on a mountain of Ireland, called Mangerton, in the county of Kerry, in that island. The roots of this
are perennial. S. oppositifolia grows na turally on the Alps, Pyrenees, and Helve tian mountains : it is also found pretty plentifully growing upon Ingleborough hill, in Yorkshire ; Snowdon, in Wales ; and some other places. It is a perennial plant, with stalks trailing upon the ground. The flowers are produced at the end of the branches, of a deep blue.
SCABlOSA, in botany, ambits., a ge nus of the Tetrandia Monogynia class and order. Natural order of Aggregatz. Dipsacez, Jussieu. Essential character : calyx common, many-leaved ; proper ble superior ; receptacle chaffy. There are forty-three species. 8. arvensis, or meadow scabius, grows naturally in ma ny places of Britain. The flowers are pro duced upon naked footstalks at the ends of the branches : they are of a purple co lour, and have a faint odour. S. succisa, or devil's bit, grows on woods and moist pla ces. This has a abort tap-root, the end of which appears as if it was bitten or cut off', whence the plant has taken its name.