saxifrage

Definitions

  • WordNet 3.6
    • n saxifrage any of various plants of the genus Saxifraga
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Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
    • n Saxifrage (Bot) Any plant of the genus Saxifraga, mostly perennial herbs growing in crevices of rocks in mountainous regions.
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Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia
    • n saxifrage A plant of the genus Saxifraga. Scarcely any of the species have economic properties, but many are beautiful in foliage and flower. They are commonly rock-plants with tufted leaves and panicles of white, yellow, or red flowers. They are predominantly alpine, and of alpine plants they are the most easy to cultivate. One group, as S. hypnoides, has mossy foliage, forming a carpet, in spring dotted with white flowers. Others, as S. Aizoon, have the foliage silvery, in rosettes. Others, as S. umbrosa, the London-pride or none-so-pretty, and S. oppositifolia, the purple saxifrage, afford brilliant colored flowers. A leathery-leafed group is represented by the Siberian S. crassifolia, well known in cultivation. A common house-plant is S. sarmentosa, the beefsteak- or strawberry-geranium (see geranium,) also called sailor-plant, creeping-sailor, and Chinese saxifrage. S. Virginiensis is a common spring flower in eastern North America.
    • n saxifrage See meadow-saxifrage.
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Chambers's Twentieth Century Dictionary
    • n Saxifrage sak′si-frāj a genus of plants of the natural order Saxifrageæ or Saxifragaceæ, its species chiefly mountain and rock plants
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Etymology

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
L. saxifraga, from saxifragus, stone-breaking; saxum, rock + frangere, to break: cf. F. saxifrage,. See Fracture, and cf. Sassafras Saxon
Chambers's Twentieth Century Dictionary
Fr.,—L. saxum, a stone, frangĕre, to break.

Usage

In literature:

Some perennials, such as Pinks, Carnations, Saxifrages, etc., do not die down, but retain their leaves.
"Gardening for the Million" by Alfred Pink
Already have the stones fulfilled their purpose, and the ivy, the brier, and the saxifrage have found a home amongst them.
"Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine, No. CCCXXIX." by Various
The white stars of the saxifrage appeared in the woods; the white daisies were in the grass.
"Macleod of Dare" by William Black
His present ambition is to grow every possible saxifrage.
"Alfred Russel Wallace: Letters and Reminiscences Vol 2 (of 2)" by James Marchant
In addition to the plants mentioned above, hardy ferns grow well, and so do lilies of the valley, and stonecrops and saxifrages.
"What Shall We Do Now?: Five Hundred Games and Pastimes" by Dorothy Canfield Fisher
Ivy, saxifrage and wild roses vie with each other in concealing the ruins.
"A Struggle for Rome, v. 1" by Felix Dahn
I'm afraid I did some damage to the bulbs as well as myself, but you had told me that the saxifrages were partial to boots.
"Lady Cassandra" by Mrs George de Horne Vaizey
I gave her some of that new saxifrage I raised.
"Plashers Mead" by Compton Mackenzie
It's a piece of saxifrage.
"The Third Class at Miss Kaye's" by Angela Brazil
But our approach to the home of the saxifrage is not to be accomplished without toil, in weather which is a succession of boisterous squalls.
"The Call of the Wildflower" by Henry S. Salt
The stones were covered with flowering saxifrage.
"Furze the Cruel" by John Trevena
By this time the hepatica, anemone, saxifrage, arbutus, houstonia, and bloodroot may be counted on.
"Wake-Robin" by John Burroughs
High above the hardiest saxifrage tower the three thousand feet of everlasting snows that crown Mount Ararat.
"Essays in the Study of Folk-Songs (1886)" by Countess Evelyn Martinengo-Cesaresco
Next comes the common London Pride, which I think quite the most beautiful of the Saxifrages of this section.
"Wood and Garden" by Gertrude Jekyll
Growing with it will be the saxifrage, whose name means that it breaks rocks.
"Woodcraft" by Alan Douglas
On a wet bank was the design of golden saxifrage, glistening unholily as if varnished by its minister, the snail.
"The White Peacock" by D. H. (David Herbert) Lawrence
We have several species of saxifrage, most of which are plants of exceeding delicacy and grace, and with small flowers.
"The Wild Flowers of California: Their Names, Haunts, and Habits" by Mary Elizabeth Parsons
There were also white pincushions of a kind of tiny saxifrage.
"Mount Everest the Reconnaissance, 1921" by Charles Kenneth Howard-Bury
I gave her some of that new saxifrage I raised.
"Guy and Pauline" by Compton Mackenzie
The Golden Saxifrage has no petals.
"Flowers Shown to the Children" by C. E. Smith
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Related words