NOTES 431 
SPARMANNIA AFRICANA. 
A shrub with soft, large leaves and white flowers with numerous 
yellow stamens, was first obtained from Messrs. Huber & Co., 
Hyéres, in December, 1867. 
SPH RALCEA. 
S. wmbellata is much grown on this coast. It is a much 
branched shrub, from 2-3 m. high, flowering abundantly for a long 
time. The flowers are of a brilliant reddish brown colour, with 
free obovate, stipitate and deciduous involucral leaflets. The leaves 
measure 34-4 inches across. 
S. speciosa* has been grown so far in the garden as Hibiscus 
spec.? It is a much larger plant, closely related to S. nutans 
Scheidw., figured in Flore des Serres, t. 726, with which it agrees 
in almost every detail except that the involucral leaflets are con- 
nate in the lower half and form an outer calyx with three broad 
ovate obtuse lobes. The flowers are very large and showy, of a 
fine purple rose. The leaves are 6-7 inches broad, acutely five- 
lobed. I know nothing about the origin of this plant, and do not 
remember having seen it elsewhere. As S. nutans is said to be a 
native of Guatemala, our plant is very likely Central American, too. 
SPHZROSICYOS. 
S. sphericus was received a few years ago through the Bishop 
of Lebombo, from Lourenco Marques. If sown early enough in 
spring it will ripen its fine globular fruits, which remain fresh 
and green for several years. 
-STANHOPEA. 
S. oculata has been grown for several years in the open on an 
olive tree, and has flowered once or twice, but it is rather too 
tender for our winter. 
STAPELIA. 
Most species of this genus succeed very well here, and have 
been largely cultivated. S. varzegata was planted as early as 1868. 
This species and its near allies are now almost subspontaneous in 
the garden, coming up everywhere from seeds if left undisturbed. 
S. grandiflora was bought from the Jardin d’Essai, Hamma, in 
Algeria, in February, 1873, and seeds were also introduced from 
Prof. MacOwan, in 1875. Since then this species has been one of 
_the most interesting plants in the garden. It forms large patches 
with as many as 40-50 stems, from which a constant succession 
of flowers is produced from September until December. 
In 1899 and later on a great number of species and varieties 
were obtained from Messrs. Dammann & Co., in San Giovanni a 
* S. speciosa Berger, n. sp., affinis S. nutanti, a qua differt involucri 
foliis usque medium campanulato-connatis, apice lobis tribus ovato-rotundatis 
appressis, calyce paullum brevioribus, floribusque magis erectis vix nutantibus 
speciosis roseo-purpureis. 
