SAXIFRAGA MUTATA. SAFFRON-COLOUR'D SAXIFRAGE. _Class and Order._ DECANDRIA DIGYNIA. _Generic Character._ _Calyx_ 5-partitus. _Corolla_ 5-petala. _Caps._ 2-rostris 1-locularis polysperma. _Specific Character and Synonyms._ SAXIFRAGA _mutata_ foliis radicalibus aggregatis lingulatis cartilagineo-serratis, caule racemoso folioso, calyce villoso et viscido. _Linn. Syst. Vegetab. ed. 14. Murr. p. 411. Jacq. Ic. Pl. rar. Fasc. 9._ [Illustration: _N^o. 351_] LINNÆUS has arranged several distinct species of Saxifrage under the _Saxyfraga Cotyledon_, but very properly separates this; though in the general form of its foliage it is as nearly related to it as most of the others; from four of them it is indeed perfectly distinct, instead of the sawed cartilaginous edge, it has only fine soft hairs, more especially towards the base; towards the extremity there is some appearance of little teeth, but widely differing from those of the others. The whole plant is covered with viscid hairs; the stalk about a foot high, is much branched; but the great peculiarity of this plant consists in its flowers, the petals being long, narrow, and pointed, and of a saffron colour, of a deeper tint when they first open, and gradually changing to a pale yellow; the beauty of the flowers is heightened by a glandular substance in the centre of each, which when the flower expands is of a bright purple colour. This rare species of Saxifrage is a native of the Alps of Switzerland and Italy; we raised it with difficulty from seeds sent us by Mr. DAVAL, of Orbe, in Switzerland; it was three years before the plants flowered; those now in bloom in my garden, June 15, bid fair to produce seeds in abundance; the plant may also be produced from offsets, in the same way as the _Saxifraga Cotyledon_, vulgarly called _Pyramidal Sedum_, and requires a similar treatment; though an Alpine plant, it must be sheltered from much wet and severe frosts. Baron HALLER describes it with spots on the petals; those certainly did not exist on our plants. [352] OENOTHERA PURPUREA. PURPLE OENOTHERA. _Class and Order._ OCTANDRIA MONOGYNIA. _Generic Character._ _Cal._ 4-fidus. _Petala_ 4. _Caps._ cylindrica infera. _Sem._ nuda. _Specific Character and Synonyms._ OENOTHERA _purpurea_ foliis ovato-lanceolatis glaucescentibus integerrimis, capsulis sessilibus, stigmate atro-purpureo. [Illustration: _N^o. 352_] The species of Oenothera here figured is the one we mentioned in treating of the _rosea_, a very ornamental species, introduced to the Royal Garden at Kew, from the western coast of North-America, in 1791.[4] We have given to it the name of _purpurea_, it being the only one in our gardens with purple flowers. It is distinguished by three principal characters, the glaucous appearance of its foliage, the purple hue of its blossoms, and the dark colour of its stigma.