SAXIFRAGE, in botany: A genus of the digynia order, belonging to the decandria clas of plants; and in the natural method ranking under the 13th order, Succulentae. The calyx is quinquepartite; the corolla pentapetalous; the capsule bifractured, unicarular, and polypernous.

There are 38 species; of which the most remarkable are, 1. The granulata, or white saxifrage, which grows naturally in the meadows in many parts of England. The roots of this plant are like grains of corn, of a reddish colour without; from which arise kidney-shaped hairy leaves, standing upon pretty long footstalks.—The stalks are thick, a foot high, hairy, and furrowed; these branch out from the bottom, and have a few small leaves like those below, which fit close to the stalk: the flowers terminate the stalk, growing in small clusters; they have five white petals, including ten stamens and the two styles. There is a variety of this with double flowers, which is very ornamental. 2. The pyramidata, with a pyramidal stalk, grows naturally on the mountains of Italy. 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 stamens, placed circularly the length of the tube, terminated by roundish purple summits. When these plants are strong, they produce very large pyramids of flowers, which make a fine appearance. 3. The punctata, 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; the leaves are oblong, oval, and placed circularly at bottom. They have broad, flat, furrowed foot-stalks, and are deeply crenated at their edges, which are white. The stalk rises a foot high, is of a purple colour, stiff, slender, and hairy. It sends out from the side on the upper part several short foot-stalks, which are terminated by white flowers spotted with red. 4. The oppositifolia, grows natural- ly on the Alps, Pyrenees, and Helvetian 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, and are seldom more than two inches long, garnished with small oval leaves standing opposite, which lie over one another like the scales of fish: they are of a brown green colour, and have a resemblance of heath. The flowers are produced at the end of the branches, of a deep blue; and thus make a pretty appearance during their continuance, which is great part of March and the beginning of April. All these species are easily propagated by offsets, or by parting their roots.