Scaevola
(from scaeva, the left hand; alluding to the form of the corolla). ORD. Goodenovieae. A genus comprising nearly sixty species of stove or greenhouse shrubs, sub-shrubs, or perennial herbs, mostly Australian; eight or ten are found in the Pacific Islands and maritime Asia, and one also in Africa and the West Indies. Flowers solitary between two bracteoles, sessile or pedunculate, in the axils of the leaves or subtending bracts, or the peduncles dichotomously branched with a flower in each fork; calyx tube adnate, the limb usually very short; corolla oblique, the tube slit open to the base on the upper side, the lobes nearly equal or the upper ones shorter; stamens free; indumentum stellate or simple. Leaves alternate or rarely opposite, entire or toothed. A selection of the species best known to gardeners is given below. They succeed in a compost of turfy loam, peat, and sand. Propagation may be effected by cuttings, inserted in similar soil, under a hand glass, those of P. Plumieri being placed in heat. Except in the case of the species just named, all those here described are Australian, and require greenhouse treatment.
S. anchusaefolia (Anchusa-leaved). fl. blue, sessile or nearly so, in a terminal, leafy spike; calyx limb obsolete; corolla 1/2in. or more long, hairy outside, bristly within. May. l. linear or oblanceolate, entire or coarsely-toothed when broad, 1in. to 2in. or more long; floral ones less than 1/2in. long. An erect or prostrate herb or sub-shrub. S. attenuata (attenuated). fl. blue, sessile, in terminal, leafy spikes, at length long and interrupted; calyx limb prominent, annular; corolla 3/4in. long, hairy within, the throat softly bristly. June. l. petiolate; larger ones broadly lanceolate, few-toothed, 2in. to 3in. long; upper ones linear or linear-lanceolate, mostly entire. h. 1-1/2ft. to 2ft. 1844. An erect shrub or sub-shrub. (B. M. 4196.) S. grandiflora (large-flowered). A synonym of Leschenaultia linarioides. S. Koenigii (Koenig's).* Malay Rice Paper Plant. fl. pale red, in axillary cymes, much shorter than the leaves; calyx lobes as long as, or longer than, the tube; corolla 3/4in. long, pubescent outside. August. l. obovate-oblong, 3in. to 5in. long, rounded and obtuse at top, entire or rarely broadly crenate, on short petioles. h. 2ft. 1820. An erect shrub. (B. M. 2732.) S. microcarpa (small-fruited). fl. violet, in a usually long and interrupted spike; calyx lobes small; corolla hairy outside, seven to nine lines long. July. fr. small. l. petiolate, obovate, ovate, or cuneate, coarsely toothed, the lower ones often 1in. to 1-1/2in. long, the upper ones passing into sessile floral leaves or bracts. 1790. An erect or diffuse perennial. (L. B. C. 1327; B. M. 287, under name of Goodenia laevigata.) S. pilosa (pilose). fl. blue; calyx tube pubescent; corolla 3/4in. to 1in. long; peduncles axillary, longer than the leaves, one-flowered. May. l., lower ones petiolate, obovate or oblong, coarsely toothed, 2in. to 3in. long; upper ones much smaller, sessile and stem-clasping, varying from oblong-cuneate to lanceolate. h. 1ft. to 3ft. 1841. A hispid perennial or sub-shrub. S. platyphylla (broad-leaved). fl. white, sessile or shortly pedicellate, in a terminal, leafy spike; calyx lobes very small; corolla above 1in. long, silky-hairy, the lobes winged. May. l. sessile and stem-clasping, ovate, obovate, or oblong, entire or few toothed, 1in. to 1-1/2in., or rarely 2in., long; upper floral ones gradually becoming smaller. h. 2ft. 1841. An erect, hispid plant, woody at base, with rigid, herbaceous branches. S. Plumieri (Plumier's). fl. white, usually in axillary, peduncled cymes; calyx limb truncate-repand or obsoletely denticulate; corolla eight to ten lines long, villous within. August. l. fleshy, obovate, quite entire. h. 2ft. West Indies, 1724. Stove shrub.
S. suaveolens (sweet-smelling). fl. blue, sessile, in interrupted, terminal, hirsute spikes; calyx equally five-lobed; corolla seven to eight lines long, villous or glabrous outside, toothed or softly bristly in the throat. August. l. petiolate, from obovate to oblong-spathulate, quite entire, thick, the larger ones 2in. to 3in. long; upper ones smaller, or linear when on elongated branches. 1793. A prostrate or decumbent, hardy perennial or sub-shrub. (A. B. R. 22, under name of Goodenia calendulacea.)