Its chief merit as an ornamental plant consists in its early flowering; its blossoms which are shewy contribute to enliven the green-house in March and April; on their first expanding, they are white, in some plants (for they are subject to great variation) inclined to yellow, in a few days they become purple; to this change of colour observable also in the _Cheiranthus maritimus_ already figured, it owes its name of _mutabilis_. In sheltered gardens at the foot of a wall, we have known this species survive a mild winter; it seems indeed to be almost as hardy as the common stock; it is most commonly however kept in the green-house. The usual way of propagating this species, which is of ready and quick growth, is by cuttings, which should be put into the ground as soon as the plant has done flowering; these if properly treated will become handsome plants to place in the green-house at the approach of Winter, and to decorate it the ensuing Spring; in like manner may the green-house be annually recruited with many similar plants to great advantage. [196] SAXIFRAGA CRASSIFOLIA. OVAL-LEAVED SAXIFRAGE. _Class and Order._ DECANDRIA DIGYNIA. _Generic Character._ _Cal._ 5-partitus. _Cor._ 5-petala. _Caps._ 2-rostris, 1-locularis, polysperma. _Specific Character and Synonyms._ SAXIFRAGA _crassifolia_, foliis ovalibus retusis obsolete serratis petiolatis, caule nudo, panicula conglomerata. _Linn. Sp. Pl ed. 3. p. 573._ _Syst. Vegetab. ed. 14. Murr. p. 412._ SAXIFRAGA foliis ovalibus crenulatis, caulibus nudis. _Gmel. Sib. 4. p. 166. t. 66._ The term _grandifolia_ would have been more applicable to this species of Saxifrage than _crassifolia_, for it is not so much distinguished for the thickness as the largeness of its leaves; these are almost equal in size to those of our broad-leaved Dock, red on the under and of a fine shining green on their upper surface; they may be ranked indeed among the more handsome kinds of foliage; the flowering stems, according to the richness and moisture of the soil in which they are planted, rise from one to two or even three feet high; at top supporting a large bunch of purple pendulous flowers, which blossom in April and May, and, if the season prove favourable, make a fine appearance. Should cold winds prevail at the time of their flowering, which they are very apt to do, the plants should be covered with a hand-glass; or, if in a pot, it may be removed into the green-house, which they will not disgrace. Is found spontaneously on the Alps of Siberia, and, according to Mr. AITON, was introduced in 1765 by Dr. SOLANDER. No plant is more readily increased by parting its roots, which may be done either in spring or autumn.