OBSERVATIONS ON THE FLOWERS, FRUIT, AND SEEDLIN6S OF 

 SAINTPAULIA lONANTHA, WEND. 



BY " 



D' jrobn B. "CVIlson. 



(WITH PLATE II.) 



The Gesnerad, Saintpaulia ionantha, is one of the most 

 'desirable of recent additions to our garden plants. It is a 

 native of Usambara, in East Central Africa, and was first 

 brought before the notice of horticulturists at the Ghent 

 Quinquennial Exhibition, in 1893. It is figured in Gartenflora 

 (Taf. 1391), Bot. Mag. (tab. 7408), and in other periodicals. 



Being already so familiar an inhabitant of our green- 

 houses, very few words of general description will suffice. 



The habit(Pl. II, fig. 1) is compact; the leaves ovate-cor- 

 date, semi-succulent,hairy, green above, purple below. The 

 habit reminds one of Ramondia, and the texture of the 

 leaves resembles that of Gloxinia and other similar allies. 



The flowers arise from the crown in spreading cymes, 

 and continue to be produced for many weeks, or, it may be, 

 months, according to the conditions of cultivation. They 

 are very attractive, and their resemblance to certain vioiets 

 is, at first sight, quite striking. Their botanical distinction 

 can, of course, be made out at a glance. They are odourless. 

 The colour of the type is presumably a bright, rich, violet 

 blue. Varieties with darker or lighter blue, and with larger 



