STA 
long, conical, round, or irregular bodies, 
composed of various crusts, and usually 
found hangingin form oficiclesfrom the roofi 
of grottos, &c. Of tills class there are va^ 
rious species, as the hard, white stalactit® ; 
the white, shattery stalactit® ; and the yel- 
low, shattery, crystalline stalactit®, &c. 
STALK, in botany, that part of a plant 
which rises immediately from the root, and 
which supports the leaves of the flowers, 
and the fruit. See Botany. 
STAMINA, in botany, threads, which, in 
most flowers, are placed round the seed-bud: 
they are designed for preparing the pollen, 
which is the chief agent in the generation 
of plants. The stamen is divided into the 
“ filamentum,” or slender, thread shaped 
part, resembling a foot-stalk ; the “ an- 
thera and the “ pollen.” 
Stamina, in the animal body, are de- 
fined to be those simple original parts, 
which existed first in the embryo, or even 
in the seed ; and by whose distinction, aug- 
mentation, and accretion, by additional 
juices, the animal body, at its utmost bulk, 
is supposed to be formed. 
STANCHION, or stanchions, in a ship, 
those pillars which, being set up pillar-wise, 
do support and strengthen the waste-trees. 
STAND, in commerce, a weight, from 
two hundred and a half to three hundred, 
of pitch. 
STANDARD, in war, a sort of banner, 
or flag, borne as a signal for the joining to- 
gether of the several troops belonging to 
the same body. The standard is usually a 
piece of silk, a foot and a half square, on 
which are embroidered the arms, device, or 
cipher of the prince, or of the colonel : it 
is fixed on a lance, eight or nine feet long, 
and is carried in the centre of the first rank 
of a squadron of horse. The standard is 
used for any martial ensign of horse, but 
more particularly for that of the general, or 
the royal standard : those borne by the foot 
are rather called colours. 
The royal standard is a flag in which the 
imperial ensigns of England, Scotland, and 
Ireland, are quartered, together with the 
armorial bearings of Hanover. It is never 
hoisted, unless when the King is on board, 
then it is displayed at the main-top-gallant- 
mast-head. 
Standarp, in commerce, the oiiginal of 
a weight, measure, or coin, committed to 
the keeping of a magistrate, or deposited 
in some public place, to regulate, adjust, and 
try the weights used by particular persons 
in traffic.. The justness of weights and mea- 
STA 
sures is of that importance to the security 
and good order of trade, that there is no ci- 
vilized nation, but makes it a part of their 
policy, to preserve the equality thereof by 
means of standards. The standards of 
weights and measures in England, are ap- 
pointed, by magna charta, to be kept in 
the Exchequer, by a special officer, called 
the clerk or comptroller of the market. 
The standard of gold coin is twenty-two 
carats of fine gold, and two carats of alloy, 
in the pound weight troy : and the French, 
Spanish, and Flemish gold are nearly of the 
same fineness. The pound weight is cut 
into forty-tour parts and a half, each cur- 
rent for twenty-one shillings. The standard 
of silver is eleven ounces and two penny- 
weights of silver, and eighteen penny- 
weights of alloy of copper. Whether gold 
or silver be above or below standard, is 
found by assaying, and the hydrostatical 
balance. See the articles Assaying and 
Hydrostatics. 
SIANDING, in the sea-language. 
Standing part of the sheet, is that part of it' 
which is made fast to a ring at the ship’s 
quarter. Standing part of a tackle, is the 
end of the rope where the block is fasten- 
ed. Standing ropes are those which do not 
run in any block, but are set taught, or let 
slack, as occasion serves ; as the sheet-stays, 
back-stays, or the like. 
STANNARIES, the mines and works 
where tin is dug and purified, as in Corn- 
wall, Devonshire, &c. There are four 
courts of the stannaries in Devonshire, and 
as many in Cornwall, and great liberties 
were granted them by several acts of par- 
liament, in the time of Edward I. &c. 
though somewhat abridged under Edw. HI. 
and Charles I. , 
STANNUM. See Tin. 
STAPELIA, in botany, so named in 
memory of Bodeus a Stapel, a physician of 
Amsterdam, a genus of the Pentandria Di- 
gynia class and order. Natural order of 
Contort®. Apocine®, Jussieu. Essential 
character : contorted ; nectary a double 
little star covering the gentials. There are 
forty-nine species. 
STAPHYLEA, in botany, a genus of 
the Pentandria Trigynia class and order. 
Natural order of Trihilat®. Rhamni, Jus- 
sieu. Essential character : calyx five- 
parted ; petals five ; capsule inflated, con- 
nate; seeds two, globular, with a wart, 
There are three species. 
STAPHYLINUS, in natural history, a 
genus of insects of the order Coleoptera s 
