AND GENERAL HORTICULTURE. 



439 



STR 



or fronds to its feathers. Nat. Ord. Polypo- 

 diacecB. 



A small genus of hardy Ferns, with strong, 

 erect-growing fronds. S. Gbrmanica, popu- 

 larly known as the Ostrich Fern, is common 

 in most of the Northern States. The species 

 are also to be found in India and Japan. Pro- 

 fessor Gray makes S. Pennsylvanica, Willd., 

 and Onoclea SlruthiopteriSy L., synonymous 

 with 8. Germanica. 

 Strychnine Plant. The common name of 

 Strychnoa Nux-vomica. 



Stry'chnoa. Nux Vomica. The Greek name of 

 the Solanum. Nat. Ord. Loganiacece. 



A small genus of evergreen trees, natives of 

 the East Indies. S. Nux-vomica is well known 

 from the seeds that bear that name, and 

 which contain an active principle called 

 Strychnia, a virulent poison. This species is 

 a tree of moderate size, much branched, and 

 covered with dai'k gray, smooth bark. The 

 flowers are small, bell-shaped and nearly . 

 white. The tree has nothing of special inter- 

 est, if we except its power for evil. The seeds 

 of S. potatorum show a marked contrast to 

 the preceding. They are an important article 

 of merchandise in the Indian bazaars, being 

 sold for the purpose of clearing muddy water, 

 the vessels containing the water being rubbed 

 for a minute or two round the inside with one 

 of the seeds ; after which, by allowing the 

 water to settle for a short time, however im- 

 pure and muddy it may have been before, it 

 becomes clear and wholesome. 



Stua'rtia. Named after John Stuart, Marquis 

 of Bute. Nat. Ord. Ternstromiacece. 



A genus of very beautiful, hardy, deciduous 

 shrubs, allied to the Camellia. It consists of 

 three species, two of which, S. Virginica and 

 S. pmtagyna, are indigenous, being found 

 from Virginia southward, while *S'. pseudo Ca- 

 mellia is a Japanese species of recent intro- 

 duction. The commonest and best known 

 species is S. Virginica, which, when fully 

 grown, is a handsomely shaped bus"h, of 

 rounded and spreading growth, and reaching 

 from six to ten feet high. Its flowers are like 

 a single Rose, about three inches across, the 

 petals of which are of a soft creamy-white, 

 surrounding a tuft of deep crimson stamens — 

 a charming contrast to the pale green foliage. 

 S. pentagyna (syn. Malachodendron ovatum) is a 

 rather larger and taller growing shrub, but 

 its flowers are very similar. S. pseudo-Ca- 

 mellia (syn. 8. grandifiora) resembles the other 

 two in growth, foliage and habit, but its flow- 

 ers are larger, whiter, and have the stamens 

 yellow instead of red. They are beautiful 

 shrubs, when in bloom, and merit a place in 

 everj' collection of ornamental shrubs. Prop- 

 agation may be effected by layering or by 

 cuttings. 



Stub-wort. An old name for Oxalis Acetosella. 



Style. The part which bears the stigma; its 

 use is to support the stigma in such a position 

 as to favor polinatipn. 



.Stylidia'ceae. A small natural order of herbs 

 or under shrubs, chiefly Australian, with a 

 few species from New Zealand, the Straits of 

 Magellan and tropical Asia. It is divided into 

 four genera, and contains nearly one liundred 

 species, of which Stylidium itself contains the 

 gi-eat majority. 



STY 



Styli'dium. From, stylos, a column ; the sta- 

 mens and style are joined into a column. 

 Nat. Ord. StylidiaceoB. 



A genus of evergreen and herbaceoi""- plants 

 from New Holland. They are all neat little 

 green-house plants, each of the numerous 

 stems producing a copiously-filled spike of 

 small rose-colored flowers. They should be 

 cut down annually after flowering, and re- 

 quire some care to preserve them free from 

 mildew through the damp weather of winter. 

 A light, airy shelf is the best preventive, and 

 a sprinkling of sulphur on the affected parts 

 will generally remove it. They were first 

 introduced in 1824, and are propagated by 

 seeds, and the shrubby kinds by cuttings of 

 the young shoots. 

 Stylo'phorum. From stylos, a style, and phero, 

 I bear ; indicating one of the distinctive charac- 

 ters. Nat. Ord. Papaveracece. 



A genus of hardy plants with perennial 

 rhizomes, and yellow juice, one being indige- 

 nous, and the others found in India and Japan. 

 S. Juponicum, a slender-growing plant, about a 

 foot high, with yellow, Poppy-like flowers, 

 introduced from Japan in 1840, is a very 

 pretty species, and may be increased by seeds 

 or by division. S.' diphyllum, from western 

 North America, much resembles it; so much 

 so that Robinson, in his "English Flower 

 Garden," mentions them as identical. 

 Stylosa'nthes. Pencil Flower. From stylos, a 

 style, and anthos, a flower ; alluding to the 

 very long style. A genus comprising about 

 fifteen species of uninteresting herbaceous 

 plants, natives of Asia, Africa, North America 

 and Brazil. They are seldom cultivated except 

 in botanical collections. 

 Stypa'ndra. From sti/pe tow, and aner, andros, 

 an anther; alluding to the downy appearance 

 of the stamens. Nat. Ord. Liliacece. 



A small genus of half-hardy, perennial herbs, 

 with fibrous roots, natives of Australia. The 

 blue flowers are boine in a loose terminal 

 cyme, and the species will grow well in a cool 

 green-house or frame, if protected in severe 

 weather. They succeed best in a sandy loam, 

 and are increased by division. 

 Styphe'lia. From styphelos, hard ; referring to 

 the wood. Nat. Ord. Epacridaceoe. 



A genus of greenhouse, evergreen shrubs, 

 harsh, erect, and low-growing. They have 

 usually pink or scai'let flowers, axillary and 

 drooping. S. tubiflora and a few other of the 

 species are very beautiful plants, their showy 

 flowers completely covering the stems, and 

 remaining several weeks in perfection. They 

 should be grown and propagated like the 

 Epacris. 

 Styraca'ceae. A natural order of trees or slirubs, 

 mostly natives of the warmer parts of Aus- 

 tralia, Asia and America, though a few species 

 are indigenous. The two principal genera, 

 Symplocos and Styrax, are considered by some 

 botanists as types of two distinct orders, but 

 are more generally regarded as tribes only of 

 Styracacece. The two balsams, Storax and 

 Benzoin, are derived respectively from S. offi- 

 cinalis and S. Benzoin. Several of the species 

 are employed as tea and for dyeing yellow in 

 the Himalayas. There are seven genera in the 

 order, and over two hundred species. Among 

 the smaller genera, Halesia, or the Snow-drop 

 Tree, is the only one of general interest. 



