kwork or in borders amongst choice things, where its flowers will not
fail to command admiring notice. As to the kind of soil, it seems in no
way particular. Sandy loam, mixed with peat, however, suits it well. It
is propagated by offsets, but these are rarely produced in numbers, as
is common with most of the incrusted Saxifrages. I may say that I have
only met with one specimen which has thus proved useful in any degree
worth notice, and it produced nearly a score of offsets during one
season; it ripens much seed, which may, or may not come true.

Flowering period, June and July.

Saxifraga Mutata.

_Nat. Ord._ SAXIFRAGACEAE.

A somewhat rare alpine species, evergreen, hardy, very distinct and
beautiful. It is one of the rosette forms, after the style of _S.
pyramidalis_, but there are several important variations about the
plant, other than in the flowers, which are totally different. There are
many peculiarities about this species, but they would hardly require to
be noticed here were not the plant otherwise of great merit. When in
bloom it is highly decorative, and the flowers in a cut state are
unique.

The flower stem is 12in. to 18in. high, furnished with supplementary
ones all its length; the lower ones are 8in. long, and spreading; they
become shorter as they near the top, the whole forming a fine
symmetrical panicle. The flowers are over 1/2in. across, petals
awl-shaped, and, when first open, are nearly red; they change to dark
orange and again to pale yellow; the calyx is very large, the sepals
four times as broad as the petals and bluntly pointed; the stamens and
anthers are coloured, and change like the petals; the ovary, which is
very conspicuous, is a fine purple, but later, it, too, changes to a
pink colour; the outer parts of the calyx and all the shorter
flower-stalks, which are clustered at the ends of the supplementary
stems, are greenish-yellow, and this feature of the plant adds much to
its beauty. Calyx, stems, and stem-leaves are densely furnished with
stiff gland-tipped hairs, rendering them clammy to the touch. The leaves
of the rosettes are tongue-shaped, rough at the edges, fleshy, covered
with glandular hairs, of a shining green colour, and slightly reflexed.
The changeable nature of the flowers doubtless gives rise to the
specific name. A well-flowered specimen is very effective on rockwork,
but the panicles have a fault of heading over, from their weight, and
also because, u