502 



THE DICTIONARY OF GARDENING, 



Stendnera continued. 



very shortly convolute at base, ovate-lanceolate, at length 

 reflexed above the middle, marcescent; spadix much 

 shorter than the spathe, part of the back female flowers 

 adnate; peduncle short. Leaves long-petiolate, peltate, 

 ovate-oblong, emarginate at base. Caudex thick, elon- 

 gated, ascending, membranous-sheathed. S. colocasice- 

 folia an its variety are the only members of this genus 

 yet introduced. These thrive in a soil composed of rich, 

 sandy loam, leaf mould, and bits of broken charcoal, well 

 mixed and drained. A moist atmosphere is desirable, 

 and a resting period necessary. Propagation may be 

 effected by suckers, by cuttings, or by division of the 

 roots tock. 



S. colocasimfolia (Colocasia-leaved). fl., spathe yellowish, 

 more or less dark purple within, becoming recurved so as to 

 expose the spadix, which is whitish, one-third as long as the 

 spathe, and erect I. of an obscure green above, paler beneath ; 

 petioles sometimes of a somewhat violet colour. Stems short, 

 thick, fleshy. 1869. (L H. n. s. 90 ; R. G. 633.) 

 S. C. discolor (two-coloured), fl., spathe yellow on both sur- 

 faces, the base reddish-purple. I. marked between the primary 

 veins above with a senes of broad, brownish-purple blotches. 

 A. 1ft 1874. (B. M. 6076 and F. d. S. 2201, under name of 

 S. colocasicefolia.) 



STEVENIA. Included under Arabis. 

 STEVENSONIA (named after Stevenson, formerly 

 Governor of the Island of Mauritius and its dependencies). 

 SYN. Phcenicophorium. OBD. Palmce. A monotypic genus. 

 The species is a noble, stove Palm. It thrives in a hot, 

 moisture-laden atmosphere, and suffers if the temperature 

 falls too low, or the air becomes dry. The mixture best 

 adapted for it is a well-drained, fibrous peat, with pieces 

 of charcoal and turfy loam and sand intermixed. Pro- 

 pagated by means of imported seeds. 



S. grandifolia (large-leaved).* fl., lower spathes IJft. long, the 

 upper ones club-shaped, smooth, 2ft. to 3jft long ; spadix 3ft. 

 to 6ft. long ; peduncle lift to 3ft long, compressed at base. 

 fr. orange-red, 4in. to lin. long. I. cuneate-obovate, bifid, oblique 

 at base, deeply laciniated down the side, with incised segments ; 

 petioles 9in. to 18in. long, glabrous, pale green, convex below ; 

 sheaths 2ft. to 3ft. long, hoary, scaly, and spiny. Stem very spiny 

 when young, less so when old. h. 40ft. Seychelles, 1865. SYNS. 

 Areca sechellarum, Astrocaryum Borsipnyanum and A. pictum 

 (all of gardens), Phcenicophorium sechellarum (I. H. 433). 

 STEVIA (named after Peter James Esteve, M.D., 

 Professor of Botany at Valencia, in the sixteenth century). 

 OBD. Compositce. A genus of stove, greenhouse, or 

 hardy herbs or sub-shrubs, rarely diffuse. More than 

 100 species have been described by various authors, but the 

 number may be reduced; they inhabit the warmer parts 

 of America. Flower-heads white or purplish, paniculate 

 or corymbose ; involucre cylindrical ; bracts five or six ; 

 receptacle flat, naked; florets five, equal, regular, five- 

 cleft, tubular ; achenes narrow ; pappus paleae or bristles 

 two or many. Leaves opposite, or the upper ones alter- 

 nate, often triple-nerved and serrated, sometimes tri- 

 sected or entire. The under-mentioned species are rather 

 pretty, perennial herbs, and, except where otherwise stated, 

 all succeed in the open flower-border, in summer. The 

 protection of a frame is necessary in severe weather. 

 Propagation may be effected by seeds, by cuttings, or by 

 divisions. 



S. breviaristata (short-awned). fl.-heads of a beautiful rose- 

 colour, disposed in a dense corymb ; florets with a long tube and 

 a limb of five spreading segments ; pappus of three rather strong, 

 rigid crowns, short. July. I. opposite, nearly glabrous, coarsely 

 serrated, attenuated, or" - 

 Branches downy, h. 



S. Eupatoria (Hemp Agrimony-like), fl.-heads in fastigiate, 

 rather loose corymbs ; florets white, flesh-coloured in the tube, 

 twice as long as the involucre. August I. lanceolate, somewhat 

 attenuated into the petioles, three-nerved, the upper ones obso- 

 letely serrated, h. lift Mexico, 1826. (B. M. 1849.) SYN. 

 S. punctata. 



S. fascicularis (fascicled). A synonym of S. rhombifolia. 



S. hyssopifolia (Hyssop-leaved). A synonym of S. paniculata. 



S. iveefolia (Iva-leaved). A synonym of S. serrata. 



S. ovata (orate-leaved). fl.~heads white, in rather compact, fas- 

 tigiate corymbs. August. I. ovate, serrated, cuneate at base, 



,* t/ouv.iatnj ; upper ones lanceolate, 

 to 3ft. Tucuman, 1836. Stove. 



Stevia continued. 



entire ; upper ones oblong, sub-entire. Stem erect, paniculate. 

 h. 2ft Mexico, 1816. 



S. paniculata (paniculate), fl.-heads white, the tubes of the ray 

 florets, which are longer than the involucre, purplish ; peduncles 

 slightly branched, three or four-headed, corymbose. August. 

 L, lowest ones opposite, ovate ; upper ones alternate, ovate- 

 oblong, serrated, cuneate at base, entire, the uppermost ones 

 linear-lanceolate. Stem erect, shortly pubescent, paniculate. 

 h. lift. Mexico, 1824. (B. M. 1861, under name of S. hyssc^. 

 folia.) 



S. pedata (pedate-leaved). fl.-heads loosely corymbose ; in- 

 volucre purplish ; florets white, all tubular ; anthers dark purple. 

 July to September. I. alternate, pedate, generally seven-cleft ; 

 leaflets linear, quite entire, with revolute margins ; petioles 

 channelled, trifid. Stem erect, branched towards the top. h. 1ft. 

 Mexico, 1803. (B. M. 2040.) The correct name of this plant is 

 Florestina pedata. 



S. pubescens (downy). fl.-heads purple; involucre pubescent; 

 pappus paleaceous; corymbs fastigiate, rather dense. August. 

 I., lower ones opposite, sub-spathulate, toothed at apex, at- 

 tenuated into the petioles ; upper ones scattered, linear, sub- 

 entire. Stem simple, somewhat erect, pubescent, h. lift. 

 Mexico, 1823. 



S. punctata (dotted). A synonym of S. Eupatoria. 



S. purpurea (purple). fl.-heads purple, in slightly coarctite 

 corymbs ; involucre pale greenish ; pappus paleaceous and three- 

 awned. August 1. lanceolate, alternate ; lower ones obovate, 

 channelled, narrowed into the petioles, serrulated at apex. Stem 

 erect, velvety-pubescent, much-branched, h. IJft Mexico, 1812. 

 (B. R. 93, under name of S. Eupatoria.) 



S. rhombifolia (rhomb-leaved), fl.-heads white or yellow and 

 white, rarely red, in fascicles at the tips of the branches. Septem- 

 ber. L, lower ones rhomboid-ovate, crenate-serrated ; upper ones 

 often alternate, narrower, and more entire, h. lift Mexico, 

 1827. (B. R. xxiv. 59, under name of S. fascicularis.) 



8. serrata (saw-edged), fl.-heads white or pink, in fastigiate 

 corymbs ; pappus bristly, two or often three-awned. August. 

 1. alternate, somewhat fascicled, linear - lanceolate, slightly 

 glabrous, serrated, entire at base and attenuated into the petioles. 

 Stem erect, branched, pubescent, h. lift. Mexico, 1827. SYN. 

 S. iveefolia. 



S. trachclioides (Throatwort-like). fl.-heads purple ; involucral 

 scales downy, mucronate-acuminate ; pappus crown-like, very 

 short ; corymbs clustered, many-headed. August. I. of the 

 lower branches opposite, cuneate at base or entire, sessile ; the 

 rest broadly ovate, slightly acute, deeply crenate-serrate, hairy 

 on both sides. Stem erect, densely velvety-pubescent h. 2Jft 

 .Mexico, 183C. Greenhouse. (B. M. 3856.) 



STEWARTIA. See Stuartia. 



STIBASIA. Included tinder Marattia. 



STICHUS. A term which, used in Greek com- 

 pounds, denotes a rank or row : e.g., Distichous, two- 

 ranked. 



STICKMANNIA. A synonym of Dichorisandra 

 (which see). 



STIFFTIA (so called after A. J. Stifft, 1760-1836, 

 Imperial Physician in Austria). SYNS. Aristomenia, 

 Augusta, Sanhilaria. OBD. Compositce. A genus com- 

 prising four or five species of stove, glabrous trees and 

 shrubs, natives of Brazil or Guiana. Flower-heads 

 yellow or orange, large and solitary or few together, or 

 smaller and paniculate ; involncral bracts in many series, 

 imbricated, obtuse, appressed, the outer ones gradually 

 shortening; receptacle naked, foveolate; florets tubular, 

 with a limb of five, narrow, revolute lobes ; achenes 

 elongated; pappus bristles in many series. Leaves alter- 

 nate, coriaceous, entire. 8. chrysantha is a fine, showy, 

 evergreen shrub, requiring a well-drained, turfy loam, and 

 a light, airy situation. It is propagated by cuttings of 

 the young wood, inserted in sandy soil, under a bell 

 glass, in bottom-heat. 



S. chrysantha (golden-flowered), fl.-heads orange-colour, 2in. 

 in diameter, solitary ; florets indefinite ; pappus saffron-colour. 

 February to April. I. lanceolate, acuminate, h. 6ft Brazil, 

 1840. (B. M. 4438.) 



STIGMA (from stigma, a mark ; in allusion to the 

 Stigma being a mark or spot on the style). That part 

 of the pistil of a flower which is fitted to receive the 

 pollen when mature, and to permit the passage of pollen 

 tubes for the fertilisation of the ovules. It is peculiar 



