3238 



STEPHANOPHYSUM 



STERCULIA 



opposite, sessile, scarlet; calyx-segms. narrow, erect, 

 linear-subulate; corolla more than 2 in. long, tubular- 

 funnelform, curved, the lobes triangular; ovary sunk in 

 a large, fleshy, cup-shaped disk. Trop. Afr. B.M. 5111. 

 H.F. II. 3:162. This species is apparently not known 

 today and has not been recently treated in works on 

 Trop. Afr. 



3690. Stephanotis floribunda. ( X H) 



STEPHANOTIS (from Greek words for crown 

 and ear, alluding to the five ear-like appendages 

 on the staminal crown). Asclepiaddcese. Twining 

 glabrous shrubs of the Old- World tropics, of about fif- 

 teen species, one of which, S. floribunda, is one of the 

 best of greenhouse climbers. 



Leaves opposite and coriaceous: fls. large and sh6wy, 

 white, in umbel-like cymes from the axils; calyx 5- 

 parted; corolla funnelform or salverform, the tube 

 cylindrical and usually enlarged at the base and some- 

 times at the throat, the lobes 5; crown mostly of 5 scales 

 that are usually free at the apex and adnate to the 

 anthers on the back, the anthers with an inflexed tip or 

 membrane: fr. a more or less fleshy follicle. 



There are few plants that have all the good qualities 

 of S. floribunda. It is a splendid grower, has good foli- 

 age, is very free-flowering, and the flowers last well on 

 the plant or when cut for decorative work. Cuttings 

 are secured from half-matured wood, and can be rooted 

 at any time of year, although spring is the most con- 

 venient time. Pot the cuttings singly, in small pots, in a 

 sandy mixture of peat. Place them in a tight case in 

 70 night temperature. Shade them from the sun and 

 keep the cuttings in a moist condition until they begin 

 to grow. When the small pots are filled with roots, 

 shift them into two or three sizes larger, in a good strong 

 fibrous loam with enough sand added to keep the soil 

 porous. When the shoots have grown to a height of 

 about 2 feet, cut them back several joints. This will 

 make the plants break into several leads. As S. flori- 

 bunda comes from Madagascar, it can stand a good 

 heat, but does not like so humid an atmosphere as many 

 other tropical plants. About 65 will generally be 

 found sufficient after it has started growing in the 

 spring. By midsummer the young plants may receive 

 another potting, and again be cut back to make sure of 

 having a good foundation for the following year. 

 About the end of October, begin to withhold water from 

 the roots, and cease syringing, which must be attended 

 to during the period of active growth. Reduce the 

 temperature to 55 to 60 during the night and give 

 only enough water to keep the leaves from shriveling. 

 As the sun gets higher in March, they will show signs of 

 activity and the weak wood may be all cut back, and 

 the plants repotted in a good strong loam with ample 

 drainage. If not wanted for a specimen plant, stephano- 

 tis may be planted out on a well-drained bench and 

 trained to wires over the roof. It is astonishing the 

 amount of space a single plant will cover in course of 

 time. For specimen plants, the shoots should be trained 

 to strings until they set flowers, when they may be 

 trained on a trellis in any shape desired. They will do 



in the same size of pot for many years, if fed during 

 their growing period as advised for ixoras. Mealy-bug 

 and scale are sure to locate on stephanotis, but during 

 the winter they may be treated to fumigations with 

 hydrocyanic gas, as already advised for other plants, 

 and if syringed well when out of flower, will be easily 

 held in check. (Geo. F. Stewart.) 



floribunda, Brongn. Fig. 3690. Gla- 

 brous, 8-15 ft. : Ivs. elliptic, with a short 

 point, thick and shining green, entire : fls. 

 1-2 in. long, of waxy consistency, white 

 or cream-color, very fragrant, in many 

 umbels, the calyx one-fourth or less the 

 length of the corolla-tube: fr. 3^4 in. 

 long, ellipsoid, glabrous, fleshy, contain- 

 ing melon-like seeds which are provided 

 with a tuft of hair. Madagascar. B.M. 

 4058. G. 6:29, 291; 10:468; 13:622; 

 25: 144; 37:397. Gn. 21, p. 441 (showing 

 a pygmy plant blooming in a small pot 

 and not climbing); 46, p. 208; 55, p. 150; 

 73, p. 211. G.C. II. 14:169 (a dwarf 

 variety, the Elveston); 24:817; 25:137; 

 III. 17:50. R.H. 1874, p. 368; 1885, pp. 

 438, 439. H.U. 1, p. 72. J.H. III. 

 50:165. 



S. Thoudrsii, Brongn., from Madagascar, 

 appears to be the only other species in cult., but 

 it is not in the American trade. It has qbovate 

 Ivs., fls. in 3's, and sepals about one-third the 

 length of the corollas-tube. L H B 



STERCULIA (Sterculius of Roman 

 mythology, from stercus, manure; applied 

 to these plants because of the odor of 

 the leaves and fruits of some species). 

 Sterculiacese. Trees grown in the green- 

 house, but also outdoors in the South. 



Leaves undivided, lobed or digitate: 

 infl. paniculate or rarely racemose, frequently axillary, 

 with the terminal fls. commonly feminine and earlier: 

 fls. unisexual or polygamous; calyx 5-cleft or 5-parted, 

 rarely 4-merous, often colored; petals none; stamens 

 united in a column which bears a head of 10-15 sessile 

 anthers ; pistil of as many carpels as calyx-lobes and oppo- 

 site them, each carpel 2- to many-ovuled, the stigmas 

 free and radiating: fr. follicular, each carpel distinct and 

 either woody or membranaceous and sometimes opening 

 and spreading into a If .-like body long before maturity 

 (Fig. 3691); seeds 1 to many, sometimes arillate or 

 winged, sometimes hairy. About 100 species, natives of 

 the warmer regions of the world, most abundant in 

 Asia. Sterculias have very various foliage, the Ivs. of 

 different species being simple, palmately lobed or 

 digitate. The fls. are mostly in panicles or large clus- 

 ters, sometimes large and showy, varying from green- 

 ish to dull red and scarlet. The species are grown mostly 

 for street and lawn trees. The kinds that are generally 

 known in this country are S. platanifolia, S. diversi- 

 folia, and S. acerifolia, the last two known in Calif, as 

 brachychitons. All are easily grown from seeds. By Ben- 

 tham & Hooker, Brachy chiton is merged in Sterculia; 

 by Schumann in Engler & Prantl it is kept distinct. 

 See Brachy chiton. 



acerifolia, 6. 

 alata, 7. 

 apetala, 3. 

 Bidwillii, 4. 

 carthaginensis, 3. 



INDEX. 



colorata, 5. 

 diversifolia, 8. 

 fcetida, 2. 

 Gregorii, 8. 



occidentals, 8. 

 platanifolia, 1. 

 rupestris, 9. 

 variegata, 1. 



KEY TO THE SPECIES. 



A. Carpels expanding before maturity into 



If. -like bodies, exposing the seeds 1. platanifolia 



AA. Carpels not becoming If. -like. 



B. Lvs. all digitately compound 2. fcetida 



BB. Lvs. entire or only lobed (sometimes 

 compound on some branches of 

 Nos. 8 and 9). 



