AN ENCYCLOPEDIA OF HORTICULTURE. 



491 



Starch continued. 



There is much doubt as to the exact part played by 

 chlorophyl; most botanists believe that it forms the 

 Starch granules, but others follow Pringsheim in think- 

 ing that the chlorophyl is only a shield against ex- 

 posnre to too intense b'ght of the protoplasm, which 

 they regard as the actual agent in the production of 

 Starch. Whichever view is correct, the Starch is 

 largely built np from the Carbon and Oxygen of Carbonic 

 Acid gas in the atmosphere. The grannies are not 

 soluble in water, so, when there is need to convey 

 Starch from one part of the plant to another, it is 

 changed into a sugar, which is soluble, and, in this 

 form, passes along to where it is to be used in building 

 np new cell-walls, or where it must be stored np for a 

 time. In the latter case, the Starch grannies are again 

 formed by the action of small pieces of protoplasm, 

 named Starch-generators, which are fixed to the part of 

 each grannie farthest from the hilum. 



STARFISH FLOWER. See Stapelia AsterUs. 



STAR FLOWER. A common name for several 

 species of Aster, Sternbergia. Trientalif, and Triteleia. 



STAR HYACINTH. See Scilla amoena, 



STARKEA A synonym of Idabnm (which tee). 



STAR OF BETHLEHEM. See Ornithogalnm 

 Tiinbellatum. The name is also applied to other 

 species. 



STAR OF NIGHT. A common name for CZima 

 ro*e<i. 



STARRT. Arranged in rays like the points of a star. 



STAR, SEA. A popular name for After tripolium. 



STARWORT. A common name for Aster and 



Stellaria (which see). 



STATICE (the Greek name, used by Pliny for some 

 astringent herb ; from ttatikof, astringent). Sea Lavender. 

 STX. Taianthema. OKD. Plumbayinece. A large genus 

 (upwards of 120 species have been described) of green- 

 house, half-hardy, or hardy herbs, sub-shrubs, or shrubs, 

 chiefly inhabiting saline district* and shores of temperate 

 seas, most commonly found in Western Asia. Flowers 

 one or two in the bracts, or often in few-flowered, many- 

 bracted spikelets ; calyx usually funnel-shaped, with a 

 scarions, spreading limb ; petals connate with the stamens 

 in a ring towards the base, or free to the base ; bracts 

 subtending the spikelets, small, scale-like; peduncles 

 or scapes leafless, often branched, cymose, corymbose, or 

 paniculate. Leaves in the stemless species radical and 

 rosnlate, in the tufted sub-shrubs clustered, in the small 

 shrubs somewhat scattered at the sides of the branches. 

 alternate, flat, sometimes entire, linear, spathulate, oblonsr. 

 or obovate, sometimes sinuately pinnatifid or dissected. 

 8. awnctilor/olta, 8. beUidifolia, and S. Lrmontmn, are 

 included in the British Flora. The hardy species thrive 

 in sandy soil, in the open border, or on rock work. Their 

 flowers are excellent for cutting, and for intermixing with 

 other flowers in glasses, &c. ; they are also well adapted 

 for drying like everlastings. Annual and biennial species 

 may be propagated from seeds, sown in early spring, in a 

 frame, the young plants being put out into their perma- 

 nent places when large enough. The perennials may 

 also be raised from seeds when any are procurable, or 

 increased by means of careful division. Greenhouse 

 Statices are very useful and ornamental plants, nearly 

 always more or less in flower. They succeed in good, 

 turfy loam, with a little charcoal or sand intermixed, 

 and may be increased by cuttings, inserted in small 

 single pots, during early spring, and placed under a bell 



A selection of the most popular species, from a horti- 

 cultural standpoint, is given below. Except where other- 

 wise stated, the plants are herbaceous perennials. 



Statice-mttn<2. 



*9gyptUea (Egyptian). A synonym of & 

 . arborescens (tree-lfteX* JL blue; spikelets two flowered, 

 few. in short, secund, rather IOOM sirfkeTTflo 

 short ; scape tall, branched above. apk, 'and 



G 



M. B. iv. 217, 

 (Bydell-sX JL yellow 



as 



North Africa, MSa 

 R. G. 318 ; R. H. 1885. p. 276.) 

 S. Bourgwi (Bourgeau'sX 



l-bairedX* JL pink ; spikelete two-flowered, 

 ous spikes ; scape dwarf; panda 

 the branches triquetrous, P July. 



. -te, attenuated into the petioles, mu- 



CTonate, white-tabercled, pnberalons or glabrous. A. Ift/Bwda, 

 MM. Half-hardy. (B. G. 1C63;- B. M. 1629. under name of 



FIG. 526. STATICE ELATA. 



S. elata (tall).* JL blue ; spikelets two-flowered, in orate, di- 

 stichous, rather loose, imbricated spikes; bracts orate, white- 

 margined; scape 2ft. high, elongated-paniculate above, the 

 branches hairy, triquetrous. July. L oborate, very obtuse, often 

 xetase and shortly mucronate at apex, rather k 

 into the petioles. Southern Russia, 1820. Hardy. 



.. .*- (*** ^2&SS&^*!SSS& 



; scape tall, paniculate or branched 

 !te, pubescent August L oblong or oborate, ubtMU. 

 -Sr Borrowed, slightly crisped on the margins, 

 into the petioles. *. 1ft Songoria, 1844. Hardy. 



JL violet-blue, produced in 

 " plant, nmcl/ 



A synonym of S. tmm*>. 



(shrubby). JL blue; spikelets one or two-flowered, 

 - UErieated spikes; lower bracte 



very few, in secund, very short, imbricated spikes ; lower bracts 

 lilkln VulMfl: save . to dm. high, corymbose paniculate 

 or branched above, pubenilous, closely compressed. !*" ir 

 t near the base of the scape, ovate, Uin. to 2in. long, ob- 



