490 
THE DICTIONARY OF GARDENING, 
Staphylea—continued. 
flavoured, in a bladdery capsule. 
oblong, glabrous, serrated leaflets. 
Europe. (Sy. En. B. 322.) 
S. trifolia (three-leaved). fl., petals obovate-spathulate, ciliated 
at base. May and June. jr.,nuts globose. l. trifoliolate; leaf- 
lets ovate, acuminate, regularly serrated, pubescent when young. 
h. 6ft. to 12ft. North America, 1640, 
i. pinnate, of five to seven 
h. 6ft, to 12ft. South 
Fig. 523. FLOWERING BRANCH OF STAPHYLEA COLCHICA. 
STAPHYLEZ. A tribe of Sapindacee. 
STAPHYLINIDZ. A family of the large grou 
of Brachelytra, the “ Rove” or “ Cocktail” Beetles. Tho 
species of this group agree in having the wing-cases, 
Fig. 524. DEVILS COACH HORSE (GOERIUS or OCYPUS OLENS). 
or elytra, very short (see Fig. 524), as indicated by the 
scientific name, which is derived from brachys, short, 
and elytra, the wing-cases. Their wings are, neverthe- 
less, large, and have, accordingly, to be folded up, and 
packed away below the elytra. The hinder end of the 
bare abdomen is employed to help in this, being turned 
up to push the wings under their covers; hence, they 
are often called Cocktail Beetles. The name Rove 
Staphylinide—continued. 
Beetles refers to their active roving habits. There are 
many genera in the family Staphylinide, but they 
mostly differ too little to be distinguished by anyone 
save a practised entomologist. Few of them are over 
}in. in length, though one or two exceed lin.; many are 
microscopic in size. They are very often black, but fre- 
quently this is varied with yellow, reddish-brown, 
or rusty-red. These beetles vary greatly in habits. 
They are very abundant, and are, accordingly, to be 
met with everywhere. Towards the end of summer, 
they may be found crawling on the ground or on 
walls and palings, or on the wing; and the small 
species are but too familiar from their liability to 
fly into one’s eyes or mouth. Over 200 species are 
known to occur in Britain. They may often be 
found in the utmost profusion in the dead bodies of 
animals, or in decaying remains of plants, both as 
larve and in the perfect state. Some of them are 
among the most efficient allies of gardeners, be- 
cause of their influence in destroying noxious insects. 
None of them are injurious to healthy garden pro- 
duce. The two species figured, viz., Goerius olens, 
or the “Devils Coach Horse,” and Staphylinus 
Fic. 525. STAPHYLINUS ERYTHROPTERUS (slightly 
magnified). 
The Line shows the actual length of the Insect. 
erythropterus (see Figs. 524 and 525) give a fair 
idea of the appearance of the family. The former 
preys on insects. 
STAR APPLE. See Chrysophyllum. 
STARCH. The greater part of the food material 
stored up by green plants for future use in their 
nourishment, and in the formation of new tissues, 
is formed of Starch. In those parts of plants in 
which food is stored, e.g., in the tubers of Pota- 
toes, in the pith of many plants, and in the albu- 
men (or perisperm) in seeds of Cereals, Peas, and 
many other plants, Starch is very abundant, packed 
away in the cells in the form of small grains. These 
grains are frequently rounded, but may assume pecu- 
liar forms characteristic of certain plants. When 
very numerous, they become polygonal by mutual pres- 
sure. Under the microscope, each granule is seen to 
have a dark point, called the hilum, at one place; and 
around this are light and dark layers alternately. This 
appearance of layers, it is believed, is due to their con- 
taining a varying amount of water, as it is not apparent 
when the grains are either saturated or thoroughly dried. 
Often two or more granules are more or less completely 
united, forming “compound” granules. Though always 
small, they vary greatly in size in different plants. 
They are most readily recognised by running a solution 
of Iodine and Potassic Iodide under the cover-glass, when 
the granules become some shade of indigo-blue, varying 
with the strength of the solution. Starch consists of 
Carbon, Hydrogen, and Oxygen, in the proportions indi- 
cated by its chemical formula, C,H,,0,. This compo- 
sition is the same as that of cellulose, the substance of 
which cell-walls are composed ; and it is very nearly the 
same as that of several of the sugars, into which Starch 
is converted by a kind of slight fermentation. Starch 
is produced in the presence of light in the chlorophyl- 
bodies, and, therefore, only in the green parts of plants. 
