SPERGULA 



SPHAGNUM 



1697 



Some of the species are dichotomously branched, but 

 the following has clusters of branches originating at or 

 near the base. 



arvensis, Linn. Spdrrt, which see. Annual, 6-18 in. 

 high, branched at or near the base: lvs. linear, clus- 

 tered at the nodes in 2 opposite sets of 6-8 together, 

 appearing as if verticillate : stipules small, connate. 

 Eu. B.B. 2:36. W. M. 



2361. Venus' Looking-glass — Specularia Speculum (X K). 



SPH.KEALCEA ( Greek words, globe mallow; referring 

 to the fruit). Malv&ceat. Globe Mallow. About 25 spe- 

 cies of tender herbs, subshrubs and shrubs, mostly 

 native to the warmer parts of America: lvs. usually 

 angled or lobed: Hs. solitary or clustered, axillary, in 

 terminal racemes or spikes, violet, rose, flesh-color or 

 various shades of red: bractlets 3, free or united at the 

 base; calyx 5-cut: locules of the ovary numerous, 2-3- 

 ovuled, arranged in a single whorl. Closely allied to 

 Abutilon but with 3 bractlets instead of none. 



A. Lvs. 5-?-lobed. 



B. Fls. in spikes. 



acerifdlia, Torr. & Gray. Perennial herb, 2-6 ft. hi 

 lvs. 3-4 in. long, cordate, palmately 5-lobed (sometimes 

 with 2 or more basal lobes), coarsely serrate: fls. rose 

 color, varying to white, 2 in. across, 15 or more in spi 

 cate clusters terminating the branches. Rocky Mts 

 B.M. 5404. 



bb. Fls. in umbels. 



umbellata, Don. Mexican shrub, 3 ft. or more high, 

 with scarlet, pendulous fls., about 1% in. across, and 

 usually 3 in an umbel: lvs. cordate, 7-lobed, crenate. 

 L.B.C. 3:222 and B.R. 19:1608 (as Malva umbellata).— 

 Var. tricolor, Hort., was said by John Saul to have red- 

 dish purple fls. striped with white and rose. 



aa. Lvs. S-lobed. 

 B. Fls. scarlet or rose. 

 Munroana, Spach. Perennial herb, 1-2 ft. high: lvs 

 broad at base, obscurely 3-lobed, crenate, sometimes in 

 cised: fls. scarlet or rose, 1 in. across, rose-colored 

 panicles axillary and terminal, numerous. Dry plains 

 Brit. Col. to Idaho and south. B.M. 3537 and B.R 16:1306 

 (both as Malva Munroana). A.G. 11 :539.- Advertised 

 in 1890 as the Sunset Plant. E. S. Carman said the same 

 plant was offered in some catalogues as Malva miniata. 



BB. Fls. brick-red. 

 cisplatina, A. St. Hil. (S. miniata, Spach. Malva 

 miniata, Cav. M. miniata, Jacq. [1]). Tender branch- 

 ing subshrub, 2-4 ft. high, formerly considered desirable 

 for conservatory decoration in October and November, 

 when it produces its brick-red flowers : lvs. 1-2 in. long, 

 3-lobed, coarsely and unequally crenate, midlobe longest: 

 fls. 1-1 J^ in. across, in axillary, few-fld. cymose racemes. 

 La Plata. The above description from B.M. 5938.— 

 Miniata means cinnabar - red, the color of red lead. 

 There seems to be no reason why Sphazralcea cisplatina 

 and Munroana. should be confused. The lvs. of Mun- 

 roana are obscurely 3-lobed, the lobes broad, blunt and 

 short; the lvs. of S. cisplatina are deeply and sharply 

 cut, acuminate and narrowed towards the base, the 

 lobes narrow and acute, the midlobe over twice as long 

 as the side lobes. The color of the fls. is very distinct 

 and the clusters are branched in 6'. Munroana but not in 

 <S\ cisplatina. ^r_ jyj t 



SPH31R6GYNE (Greek words referring to the glo- 

 bose stigma). Melastomacew. This genus has been re- 

 ferred to Tococa, which see for S. latifolia. The band- 

 some foliage plant known to the trade as Sphairogyne 

 imperialis is mentioned under this head because its fls. 

 and fr. seem to be undescribed, and the place of the 

 plant in the vegetable kingdom is therefore unde- 

 termined. It is a broad-leaved hothouse plant with 

 strong parallel ribs, metallic green above and pur- 

 plish brown beneath. For cultural suggestions, see 

 Miconia. 



imperialis, Linden. Stem simple or little branched, 

 erect, robust : lvs. opposite, decussate, oval, with 5 

 longitudinal ribs running from base to apex and many 

 parallel transverse veins connecting them. Peru. I.H. 

 24:284. — Native of Peru, and introduced to Europe by 

 Linden in 1871. It is said to be easily grown in a warm 

 house. 



SPHAGNUM, Sphagnum moss, bog moss or peat 

 moss is found in swamps or bogs and is one of the 

 plants from which peat is formed ; it is much used 

 by gardeners. Its geographical distribution extends 

 to all countries in the north temperate zone. According 

 to Braithwaite's "Sphagnaceae of Europe and North 

 America," there are 19 distinct species to be found in 

 North America, besides numerous varieties. Sphagnum 

 mosses differ from the true mosses so much that they 

 are usually clas rifled in a distinct family, Sphagnaceffi. 

 Besides some slight differences in the reproductive or- 

 gans, the chief differences lie in the larger growth of 

 Sphagnum (which is often a foot or more in height), its 

 soft appearance, pale green color, and the absence of 

 root-hairs. The stems and leaves are inclosed or en- 

 circled by one, two and often four strata of transparent 

 cells connected with each other by small holes, which 

 have the capacity of sucking up and retaining a large 

 amount of water. These cells therefore perform the 

 function of root-hairs, and it is this abundant water-stor- 

 age tissue that makes Sphagnum moss of so much use to 

 gardeners in the cultivation of orchids, Anthurium, etc., 

 and in fact most plants of an epiphytal or swamp-loving 

 character, such as Sarracenia, Darlingtonia, etc. Sphag- 

 num often forms at least one-third of the compost in 

 which pitcher plants and epiphytes are grown. The 

 fresh green tips of Sphagnum are also most useful for 

 surfacing pots of orchids and other plants. Besides 

 giving them a better appearance, the moss acts as an 

 index to the moisture condition of the plant. Sphagnum 

 is also useful in the propagation of many stove plants, 

 such as Cordyline, Nepenthes, etc. ; for starting tropical 

 tuberous - rooted plants, such as fancy caladiums ; for 

 sowing seeds of orchids, Anthuriums, Nepenthes and 

 Sarracenias when fresh and chopped fine; as a mulch; 

 as a non-conducting material for plants in pots in ex- 

 posed positions in summer; and in packing plants for 

 transportation, for which purpose it is an ideal material. 

 Owing to its sponge-like character it may be used wet 

 or dry, according to the character of the plants intended 

 for packing. 



Unless one has an ideal position in which to keep 

 Sphagnum moss after gathering it from its native place, 



