358 



The Dictionary of Gardening, 



Sap — continued. 

 crude Sap through the wood below the ring, which has 

 been left uninjured. This process of ringing does not 

 succeed in a Monocotyledon, or in a Dicotyledon with 

 fibre-vascular bundles scattered among cellular pith, and 

 in which the downward flow of Sap consequently remains 

 unchecked, such as the species of Pepper (Piper). The 

 causes of the upward flow of crude Sap are chiefly two, 

 viz. : (1) in early spring, when growth begins, the absorp- 

 tion of fluid by root-hairs, probably due to chemical 

 changes in the cell contents ; and (2) afterwards, the free 

 evaporation from the leaves, drawing fresh Sap upwards 

 to supply what has been lost. Other forces also assist 

 in a lesser degree ; but to these reference need not now 

 be made. 



SAFERSA. A genus of Beetles, belonging to those 

 that possess long antenna3, and a long, rather narrow 

 body. The genus is recognised by the foUowing group of 

 peculiarities : The wing-oases reach to the hinder end of 

 the body, which is cylindrical ; the thorax has not a spine 

 on either side ; the antennas have eleven joints ; and the 

 tasters have a long, sharp end-piece. The beetles vary 

 from about ',in. to l;jin. in length, and are mostly black, 

 or nearly so. A good many British species have been 

 described ; but the most hurtful are those which attack 

 Poplars, Aspens, and Willows. The larvaj feed in the 

 wood of the branches, and sometimes cause distortions and 

 swellings of the latter. The only treatment applicable 

 is to out off and destroy the branches swollen and 

 tenanted by the insects. Fig. 415 (page 357) shows 

 8. popxdnea (which is one of the most destructive 

 species), and the injury inflicted by it on Poplars. 



SAFINDACI!2>. A natural order of trees, shrubs, 

 or under-shrubs, rarely herbs, dispersed over the whole 

 globe, but most numerous in tropical regions. Flowers 

 usually polygamo-dicccious, variously coloured and dis- 

 posed, generally small for the size of the plant, in- 

 odorous ; sepals four or five, very rarely more or none, 

 free or more or less connate, often unequal, imbricated ; 

 petals wanting or three to five, rarely more, the dorsal 

 one often wanting, often scaly or bearded within, 

 imbricated ; disk variable, complete or incomplete, 

 sometimes unilateral, very rarely deficient ; stamens 

 usually eight, rarely five or ten (very rarely two, four, 

 twelve, or indefinite), usually hypogynoua and inserted 

 within the disk, rarely on its head or around the base ; 

 filaments usually elongated. Fruit capsular or inde- 

 hiscent, drupaceous, baccate, or coriaceous, entire or 

 lobed, rarely composed of two or three samaras. Leaves 

 often evergreen, alternate, exstipulate or rarely stipulate, 

 compound, abruptly pinnate ; leaflets variable, in a few 

 cases pellucid-dotted ; petioles sometimes winged. Several 

 of the species produce edible fruits, and others furnish 

 valuable timber. The order comprises from 600 to 700 

 species, which are classified, by Bentham and Hooker, in 

 genera and sub-orders as follows ; Acerinece, 3 genera : 

 DodoncBW, 6 ; Meliantheoe, 3 ; Sapinilea, 59 ; 8taphyle(y, 

 3 — showing a total of seventy-four genera. Examples ; 

 Acer, Dodonwa, Melianthiis, Sapindii,s, and Staphylea. 



SAFINSUS (name altered from Sapo-indims, Indian 

 Soap ; the aril which surrounds the seeds of 8. Saponaria 

 is used as soap in America). Oed. Sapindacece. A genus 

 consisting of some forty species of tropical, sometimes 

 slightly climbing trees and shrubs. Flowers regular, in 

 terminal or axillary racemes or panicles ; sepals and petals 

 four or five : stamens eight to ten. Leaves alternate, 

 exstipulate, simple and one-foliate or abruptly pinnate ; 

 leaflets entire or very rarely serrated. The species are of 

 botanical and economic interest only. The hard, round, 

 black seeds of some members of the genus are used for 

 making rosaries, necklaces, bracelets, &c. One or two 

 of the species have edible outer coverings to the fruits, 

 but the seeds are poisonous. 



SAFITJM (an old Latin name, originally given by 

 Pliny to a resinous Pine ; alluding to the unctuous 

 exudation from the wounded trunk). Stns. Caruin- 

 biuin, Sfillimjtieetia, Triadica. Ord. Etiphorbiurei^. A 

 genus comprising about twenty-five species of stove, 

 evergreen, often glabrous trees or shrubs, broadly dis- 

 persed over the warmer regions of the globe. Flowers 

 (V always) moncecious, apetalous, the males often three 

 to a bract, the females many at the base of the spikes ; 

 spikes or racemes terminal, solitary, or in one species 

 several, paniculate. Leaves alternate, petiolate, entire, 

 or rarely toothed, penniveined ; petioles often biglandular 

 at apex. A few of the species have been ilitroduced, 

 but they are now probably lost to cultivation. 



SAFODILLA OR SAFOTILLA FLUM. See 



Sapota Achras. 



SAFOITARIA (from snpo, soap ; the leaves of 

 S. tijfjcimtlis form a lather, which much reseraltles tliat 

 of soap, and is similarly efficacious in removing grease- 

 spots, &c.) Fuller's Herb ; Soapwort. Including Vac- 

 en ria. Obd. Cnnjophijllew. A genus comprising about 

 thirty species of hardy or half-hardy herbs, sometimes 

 annual and with the habit of Gijpsophila, sometimes 

 biennial or perennial and resembling the species of 

 Silene ; they are natives of Europe (mostly Southern), 

 the Mediterranean region, and extra-tropical Asia. Calyx 

 ovoid or oblong-tubular, flve-toothed, obscurely nerved ; 

 petals five, with a narrow claw, and an entire or emar- 

 ' ginate blade, scaly or naked at base ; stamens ten. 

 Radical leaves spathulate ; cauline ones narrower. The 

 species described below are very ornamental. 8. ocij- 

 moides is particularly well adapted for decorating rock- 

 work. >S'. ccespitosa and 8. lutea thrive in a compost of 

 sand, loam, and peat, with good drainage in the pots. 

 All are readily propagated by seeds, or by division. 

 The hardy annual and biennial kinds simply require 

 to be sown in the open border. 



S. csespitosa (tufted), fl. vose-eoloured, somewhat umbellate 

 calyx profoundly lolied ; petals emarginate at the apex, with 

 bifl'd appendages in the throat. July and August. (. linear, 

 glabrous, almost all radical, scarcely toothed, h. Sin. to bin. 

 Pyrenees. 1824. Half-hardy perennial. (G. C. n. s., xv. 501 ; 

 R. Ct. 815.) SVN. ,S'. clegans. 

 S. calal>rica(l'alabrian).* Jl, of a beautiful rose-colour, axillary, 

 solitary ; petals orbicular, narrowed at the base. August. 

 L obovate-spathulate, usually one-nerved, smooth or slightly 

 pubescent, ciliated on the margin.s. .Stem erect, dichotomously 

 liianched. Ii. 6in. to 12in. Calabria, 1830. Hardy annual. 

 (R. G. 11 ; S. B. F. G. aer. ii. 79.) 

 S. elegans (elegant). A synonym of S, ca'.^pitosa. 

 S. glutinosa (glutinous). /. blood-coloured, panicled, in corym- 

 bose Itundles ; calyx long, terete; petals minute, bidentate at 

 apex, crowned with scales in the throat. June and July. 

 I. ovate, three-nerved. Stem erect, branched. It. IJft. Kastern 

 Kurope, Ac, 1817. Hardy biennial. (B. M. 2855.) 

 S. lutea (yellow). /. capitate, involucrate; calyx woolly, with 

 short lobes ; petals yellow, obovate, entire ; stamens violaceous. 

 June to August. (. linear, ciliated at the base, almost all railical. 

 Ii. 3in. to 6in. Alps, 1804. Half-hardy perennial. 

 S. ocymoides (Basil-like).* Rock Soapwort. /. red or pink, 

 in panicled bundles ; calyx purple, cylindrical, villous. May to 

 August. I. o»ate-lani-e(Tlate, gunerally one-nerved. Stems dicho- 

 tomous. Switzerland, Italy, Ac, 1768. An elegant, hardy, peren- 

 nial trailer, well suited for the ornamentation of rockwork. 

 (I!. M. 154 ; J. F. A. 23.) 

 S. officinalis (ofKcinal).* Bouncing Bet ; Common Soapwort, Ac. 

 Jl. lilac or white, lin. in diameter; petals obcordate ; cymes in 

 panicled corymbs. August and September. I. oblong-hiiR-unlate, 

 Sin. to 4in. lung, three-rilibed. Stem straight, asiiMidiiii;. 1ft. to 

 3ft. high. Europe (apparently naturalised in Britain), ttinpeiate 

 Asia. Hardy perennial, with a white, tiesliy, cicepiMg root- 

 stock. (F. 1). 543; Sy. Kn. B. 197.) .S. h;ibridn is a variety with 

 a gamopetalous corolla and connate upper leaves. 

 S. Vacoarla (Cow-herb), fl. red, paniculate ; calyx pyramidal, 

 smooth, flve-angled ; bracts membranous, acute. July and 

 August. (. ovate-lanceolate, sessile, h. 1ft. to 2ft. Central 

 Europe, 1596. Annual. (B. M. 2290.) 



SAFOTA (the native name). Stn. Achras. Ord. 

 8tipotacea:. A monotypic genus. The species is a very 

 large, stove, evergreen tree, with milky juice. It thrives 

 in rich, loamy soil, and may be increased by cuttings. 



