202 



CASSELL'S POPULAR GARDENING. 



large, red and bright yel- 

 low. New Grenada. 

 S. Humboldtianus — flowers 

 pendulous, tube long; 

 brilliant scarlet, throat 

 orange. Peru. 



. microstoma — the flowers 

 are produced m closely- 

 packed corymbs ; brilliant 

 crimson. Vt inter months. 

 New Grenada. 



Sonerila. — A large genus of dwarf -growing 

 East Indian Melastomads ; most of them have showy 

 violet-purple, but very fugitive flowers, but they are 

 much prized for the beautiful markings of their 

 leaves. Pot in peat, leaf-mould, and sand, in equal 

 parts ; drain well and water freely in summer. 

 They should be placed close to the glass, but shaded 

 from the full sun. Among the best flowering kinds 

 are grandiflora, speciosa, elegans, and Bensonii. 



S. Hendersonii — stems 

 crimson, and leaves oppo- 

 site, ovate - lanceolate ; 

 deep green, profusely 

 blotched and S[.otted with 

 silvery-white. 



S. Hendersonii argentea — 

 stems crimson, leaves op- 

 posite, whole leaf suffused 

 with silvery -whire, which 

 nearly obliterates the deep 

 green of the ground- 

 colour. 



S. Madame Ed. Otlet— 

 leaves almost emerald- 

 green, profusely blotched 

 ' and spotted with metallic 

 white, ribs on the under 

 side crimson. 



S. Madame Victor Alesch— 

 ground-colour of leaves 

 deep olive-green, midrib 

 crimson - in some leaves 

 nearly the whole surface 

 is suffused with silvery- 

 grey, while in others it is 

 blotched and spotted with 

 white. 



S. Mam ei— leaves intense 

 deep bottle-green, with a 

 satiny hue, and profusely 

 spotted with pearly white. 



S. Margaritacea— stem scar- 

 let, leaves deep glossy 

 green, dotted with pearl- 

 like spots between the 



Spathiphyllum. — A genus of bold-growing 

 plants belonging to Orontiacece. Pot in rough peat 

 and loam. They enjoy strong heat and moisture. 

 Stove. 



S. pictum.—A large plant, with broadly-ovate 

 leaves ; ground-colour bright shining green, much 

 blotched with light green and golden - yellow. 

 Tropical America. 



Stapelia. — A very extensive and singular genus 

 of Asclepiads, having quadrangular, fleshy stems, 

 which are quite destitute of leaves ; they produce 

 handsome star- shaped flowers from the sides of the 

 stems, which usually have an offensive odour, so 

 like decomposing meat that the name of Carrion 

 Plants has been given to the family. Pot in sandy 

 loam and old brick rubbish in about equal parts, and 

 water sparingly during the summer, and only suffi- 

 ciently to keep the stems from shrivelling in winter. 

 Natives of South Africa ; green-house treatment in 

 summer ; in winter they require dry stove tempera- 

 ture, or their flowers will not expand. The follow- 

 ing is a good selection : — 



S. ambigua. 

 S. Asterias. 

 S. bufonia. 

 S. ciliata. 

 S. deflexa. 

 S. a-emmiflora. 

 S. glandulifera. 



S. 2-randiflora. 

 S. hamata. 

 S. hirsuta. 

 S. incarnata. 

 S. lepida. 

 S. Marmorata. 

 S. Massonii. 



S. pedunculata. 

 S. Plantii. 



pulchella. 

 S. punctata. 

 S. rufa. 



S. rugosa. 

 S. sangumea. 

 S. tnmaculata. 

 S. variegata. 

 S. verrucosa. 



Stephanophysum. — A genus of Acanthads, 

 containing some showy species, the one here named 

 being a winter flower. 



S. Baikiei. — Leaves large, opposite, ovate-acumi- 

 nate ; deep green and rough on the upper side ; 

 flowers tubular, some two inches long, produced in 

 the greatest abundance in dense branching racemes ; 

 deep crimson-scarlet. Winter months. West Africa, 

 probably. 



Stephanotis. — A genus of climbing Asclepiads, 

 only one species of which is at present in cultivation, 

 and that should find a place in every stove. The 

 Stephanotis is invaluable for training up a pillar 

 or rafter, or covering a balloon-shaped trellis. Pot 

 in turfy loam, adding a little peat and sharp sand ; 

 drain well and water freely when growing; in 

 autumn reduce the water supply and temperature. 



S. floribunda is a scandent plant, with opposite, 

 ovate, deep green leaves ; the tubular flowers are 

 produced on the young growths in dense umbels ; 

 a pure w T axy-white, and deliciously fragrant. The 

 variety Elvastoniana flowers freely on small plants, 

 and in far greater profusion than any other form. 

 Spring and summer months. Madagascar. 



Stigmaphyllon. — A genus of tropical American 

 plants belonging to the order Malpighiacece, pro- 

 ducing very ornamental yellow flowers. Pot in a 

 compost of two parts loam, one peat, and one sand. 



S. ciliatum. — Leaves palmately lobed, ciliated on 

 the edges, and slightly glaucous ; flowers rich 

 orange-yellow, produced in large umbels. Summer 

 months. Brazil. 



S. Jatroplmfolium. — Leaves cordate, fringed at the 

 edges, and glaucous ; flowers large, umbellate, bright 

 rich yellow. Summer months. Tropical America. 



Strelitzia. — A genus of noble Musacea, named 

 in honour of Queen Charlotte, who was of the Royal 

 House of Mecklenburg- Strelitz ; the species are all 

 natives of South Africa, and need the temperature 

 of the stove to develop their gorgeous flowers freely. 

 The soil for these plants is a mixture of two parts 

 loam to one each of peat and leaf-mould. Strelitzias 

 are very effective in the sub-tropical garden in 

 summer, but their broad leaves are very apt to get 

 split and disfigured by the wind. 



S. augusta — leaves two- 

 ranked (distichous) ; the 

 blade is upwards of two 

 feet Jong, and about eigh- 

 teen inches broad, thick, 

 and leathery in texture, 



and deep green, supported 

 on foot-stalks some three 

 or four feet in length. 

 The flower-stem is erect, 

 terminated by a laree 

 boat-shaped spathe, from 



