Saracha
(named in honour of Isidore Saracha, a Benedictine monk, much attached to botany; he enriched the Royal Gardens at Madrid with many rare plants). SYNS. Bellinia, Jaltomata. ORD. Solanaceae. A genus consisting of about a dozen species of diffuse or sub-erect, greenhouse or hardy herbs, natives of Western America, from Bolivia to Mexico. Calyx broadly campanulate, shortly five-fid; corolla sub-rotate or very broadly campanulate, with a deeply five-fid limb; stamens five; peduncles short. Leaves entire or broadly sinuate-toothed. The two species mentioned below are hardy annuals, thriving in ordinary garden soil. Seeds should be sown in the open border, during spring.
S. stapelioides (Stapelia-like). fl. pale yellow, with five reddish brown, yellow-veined blotches; corolla rotate, the lobes rounded and apiculate; peduncles axillary, solitary or rarely twin, one-flowered. Summer. l. slightly cordate or rounded at base, ovate, scarcely acuminate, entire or sinuate-toothed, scattered, the lower ones solitary, the upper ones twin. Stem erect, herbaceous or suffruticose at base. h. 1 1/2ft. 1865. Greenhouse. (R. G. 465.) S. umbellata (umbel-flowered). fl. cream-coloured or greenish-white; corolla plicate; umbels pedunculate, seven to ten-flowered, axillary, solitary. June and July. l. ovate, wrinkled, entire, shining, acute, scabrous; floral ones twin. h. 2ft. to 4ft. Peru, 1822. (S. B. F. G. 85.)