SEDUM Telephium,
Orpine.
DE CANURIA Pentagynia.
Gen. Char. Cal. 5-cleft. Petals 5, with 5 nectariferous
scales at the base of the germen. Capsules 5 ,
superior.
Spec. Char. Leaves flattish, serrated. Corymbus leafy.
Stem erect.
Syn. Sedum Telephium. Linn. Sp. P I. 616. Sin. F I.
B rit. 485, Huds. 195. With. 426. Hull. 99.
Relh. 173. Sibth. 143.^ Abbot. 98. Curt. Bond,
fa s c . 3. t. 25.
Anacampseros, yulgó Faba crassa. R a il Syn, 269.
F o u n d in the borders of fields, about hedges, bushy hills,
and such kinds of situations, on a gravelly or calcareous soil,
flowering in August,
The root is perennial, consisting of several oblong, tapering,
fleshy, white lumps, with fibres at their extremity. Stems between
one and two feet high, erect, simple, very leafy, round,
smooth, generally spotted with purple, Leaves irregularly
scattered, sessile, ovate, fleshy, flat, bluntly serrated, smooth
and somewhat glaucous, with a thick coloured rib disappearing
before it reaches the summit. Flowers in dense clustered
tufts, intermixed with small leaves, crimson or purple, rarely
white. Petals acute. Antheras and stigmas more deeply coloured
than the rest of the flower.
Like all succulent plants this is very tenacious of life, and
will keep growing long after it has been torn from its native
spot. The country people in Norfolk sometimes hang it up
in their cottages, judging by its vigour of the health of some
absent friend. Those who have ever parted from a very dear
friend will sympathize with their anxiety if not with their superstition,