LIST OF STOVE PLANTS. 



555 



Roupala (Rhopala). — Distinct and handsome stove 

 plants. Fibrous loam and peat. Cuttings. R. elegans, 

 R. Pohlii (aurea and corcovadensis), and R. Vervaineana 



Fig. 679.— Saintpaulia ionantha. 



all have the habit and foliage of an Ash -sapling, but they 

 are covered with soft hairs, and coloured dark-green and 

 brown. Useful either as pot-plants, or as large planted- 

 out specimens. 



E/OUPELLIA grata, the " Cream Fruit", is a robust scan- 

 dent shrub, with fleshy, ovate, dark-green leaves, and 

 large Stephanotis - like clusters of bell -shaped waxy- 

 looking, purple and white flowers. It should be grown 

 on a rafter in a sunny position, and in strong loamy soil. 

 Cuttings. 



Russelia. — Elegant scandent little plants, the branches 

 suggestive of the Mare's-tail (Equisetum). The leaves are 

 small, and the tubular bright-red flowers are borne pro- 

 fusely all over the plant. Most suitable for a basket or 

 pillar. R. juncea and R. sarmentosa are the two species, 

 and from these a race of pretty hybrids have been raised 

 by M. Lemoine; they are named elegantissima, Lemoinci, 

 &c. 



Saintpaulia ionantha (fig. 679). — A delightful little 

 Gesneriad, with the habit of a Violet. It forms rosettes 

 of spoon-shaped, fleshy, dark-green leaves, and produces 

 clusters of short-tubed, purple-blue flowers in great pro- 

 fusion ; there is a variety with white flowers. May be 

 grown in any position almost, even in the gravel on the 

 stages. 



Sanchezia nobilis. — A stout branching bush, easily 

 grown and very handsome; leaves deep-green, midrib and 

 veins bright yellow. Flowers tubular, rich yellow. Loam. 

 Cuttings. 



Sansevieria. — Singular - looking plants, their leaves, 

 which spring from a stout rhizome, being either cylindrical, 

 keeled, or strap-shaped, and marked zebra-like with gray 

 and green. They yield excellent fibre. The best for 

 decoration are S. cylindrica, leaves a yard long and tough 

 as india-rubber; S. guineensis (javanica) has flat erect 

 leaves 2 to 4 feet high; S. Kirhii has thick channelled 

 leaves, said to be 6 feet or more long in the tropics; S. 

 zeylanica has keeled leaves. 



Saraca (Jonesia). — A genus of tree-like Legumes, not 

 unlike Brownea in habit and foliage, but the scarlet and 

 orange flowers are borne in crowded axillary clusters, and 

 are rather like Ixoras. They require plenty of room. The 

 best are <S'. cauliflora, S. indica, and the hybrid S. Craw- 

 fordii. Loam. Cuttings. 



Scutellaria. — Quick-growing herbaceous plants which 

 may be utilized as winter flowerers. They form shapely 

 specimens with a little stopping of the shoots, and they 

 always flower freely. <S'. coccinea, >S'. Mociniana, and <S'. 

 Ventenatii, all scarlet -flowered, should be in every stove 

 collection. Light loam and leaf-mould. Cuttings. 



Solandra grandiflora is a very robust scandent 

 plant, with fleshy branches and leaves, and large tubular 

 white flowers, not unlike those of a Datura, changing to 

 cream -yellow with age. An excellent plant for a 

 sunny position on a rafter or pillar in a large house. 

 Cuttings. 



Solanum. — Several scandent tropical species are useful 

 climbers for a warm house. The best of them, and cer- 

 tainly also one of the very best climbers grown, is ,5'. 

 Wendlandii (fig. 680), which has fleshy stems, pinnatifid 

 leaves, and enormous terminal clusters of bright blue- 

 purple flowers. It blooms all summer in a sunny position 

 in a warm house, if planted out. S. SeafoHhianvm and S. 

 pensile are also free-flowering climbers of elegant char- 

 acter. Loam. Cuttings. 



Sonerila. — Small herbaceous plants, with ovate leaves 

 more or less spotted with silvery-white on a bright-green 

 ground. They are excellent for baskets or pans. "When 

 well grown they produce bright-pink flowers abundantly. 

 S. margaritacea and S. maculata are the two species, and 

 from these several well - marked seedlings have been 

 raised. Peat. Cuttings. 



Spathiphyllum. — Elegant Aroids related to Anthurium. 

 They have long-stalked oblong green leaves, and tall slen- 

 der scapes, bearing white spathes in some species, green 

 in others. They like the same treatment as Anthurium. 

 The best are S. blandum, 8. candidinn, S. cannctfolium, 

 S. Patini, and S. pictum (variegated). 



Fiff. 6S0.—Sol.ui mn Wendlandii. 



Sph^erogyne latifolia. — A Melastoma related to Cyano- 

 phyllum, with magnificent deep -green velvety -ribbed 

 leaves, in opposite pairs. Peat and loam. Cuttings. 



