Saxifraga Lantoscana Boiss. Et Reut

Stem usually shorter than in 5. lingulata, of which it is sometimes considered a variety. Rosette-leaves linear-spathulate, broader towards the apex, with white calcareous patches, obtuse and shorter than in lingulata and not channelled. Flowers milk-white, with fine lines of red dots. Inflorescence more or less unilateral. Calyx campanulate, with lanceolate-obtuse teeth.

Limestone rocks in the district round St. Martin Lantosque in the Maritime Alps, at Mont de la Chen in the Var, and possibly in Liguria.

The long discussion upon the last two Saxifrages alluded to in Alpine Plants of Europe was summed up by Mr. T. A. Sprague, B.sc, in a paper entitled Saxifraga lingulata and S. lantoscana.1

Saxifraga Cochlearis Reichb

Stem 4-12 inches long, glandular except at the summit, slender, reddish brown, branching above the middle into a rather dense, usually short and sometimes glandular panicle, with usually 3 flowers on each branch. The panicle in exceptionally large specimens from Tenda, which the writer measured, was 7 inches in length. Rosette-leaves quite short, broadly linear at the base and suddenly dilated into a sub-orbicular limb or rounded, spoon-shaped apex, coriaceous and rugged in texture, encrusted at the margins with lime. Stem-leaves narrowly oboval, very small and slightly glandular. Flowers milk-white. Petals obovate, wedge-shaped. Calyx glandular with obtuse lobes.

1 Kew Bulletin (1911), No. 3. See also Gardener's Chronicle, March 16th, 1912, and December, 1874.

Sub-alpine limestone rocks in the French and Italian Maritime Alps, particularly about the Tenda road, and also abundantly on some of the adjoining mountains of Liguria further east, where it descends to about 1300 feet at Buggio in the Nervia Valley, and ascends to 5500 feet. Endemic in this district. June, July.

Saxifraga Crustata Vest

Stem 2-4 inches high, erect, racemose above, glandular-hairy, branches naked, few-flowered at the head of the stems. Rosette-leaves broadly linear, obtuse, entire, the cartilaginous margin strongly encrusted. Petals white, obtuse, obovate or wedge-shaped.

High calcareous Alps, but descending below the Alpine region as, e.g. in the deep and narrow valley at Weitenstein; 3000-7200 feet, June to August.

Distribution

Carpathians, Tyrol to Carinthia.

Saxifraga Caesia L

A small grey species, a few inches high, with cylindrical tufts of densely imbricate leaves. Stem ascending from a hemispherical rosette of leaves, and bearing a 1-6 flowered corymbose cyme. Stem-leaves and calyx glabrous and glaucous, or with a few glandular hairs. Lower leaves with recurved margins, hard, thick, linear-lanceolate, nearly triquetrous, acute, entire, dotted with pores at the margin, fringed at the base, when young encrusted. Stem-leaves smaller, linear. Petals obovate, obtuse, white; twice as long as the sepals.

Limestone rocks and screes from the snow-line downwards, and sometimes descending into valleys with the debris of streams. June to August.

Distribution

Eastern, Central, and Western Alps, Pyrenees, Apennines. Plentiful near the top of the Gemmi Pass.