Starry saxifrage (Saxifraga stellaris) is a common
plant found on wet, stony ground in the mountainous areas of the British Isles.
Its tough, penetrating roots exploit the natural cracks and crevices in the
rock and anchor it so firmly that it has gained a reputation, like other
saxifrages, of being able to carve out its own foothold by actually cracking
the stone. This belief, still widespread though erroneous, is reflected in the
origin of the plant’s scientific name Saxifraga, which combines the
Latin words saxum, meaning ‘rock’ and frango, meaning ‘break’.
The plant grows up to 10 inches (25 cm) in height. It has a
rosette of toothed leaves at the base, but the upper parts of the stem are
leafless. The low-growing leaves are less exposed to mountain winds, and their
closeness to each other help to conserve moisture. The leaves are
short-stalked, toothed and hairy on the top surface.
Flowers appear between June and August. They are white with
conspicuous red anthers. There are two yellow spots at the base of each petal.
The sepals are bent back. The seed capsule splits to the middle or below when
ripe.
Ancient medical lore often believed that a plant with
particular characteristics that related to an element of human anatomy had been
prescribed by God as a cure for ailments relating to that element. Thus a
decoction of "stone breaking" starry saxifrage was applied to curing kidney and gall stones in
the human body. A 17th-century medical textbook also recommended that saxifrage
roots, mixed with wine and vinegar, would cure the plague.
© John Welford
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