Staurostigma
(from stauros, a cross, and stigma, a stigma; in allusion to the cross or star-shaped stigmas). Including Asterostigma and Rhopalostigma. ORD. Aroideae (Araceae). A small genus (six species) of stove, tuberous, stoloniferous herbs, natives of tropical America. Flowers all perfect, the males and females contiguous; spathe erect, lanceolate, convolute at base, opening or gaping above; spadix monoecious, inappendiculate, cylindrical, shorter than the spathe; peduncles many or solitary, equalling the leaves. Leaves on long petioles, hastate-cordate, pinnatisect, or once or twice pinnati-partite; pinnae sessile, acuminate. The introduced species are described below. A well-drained compost of sandy loam and peat is most suitable. A season of rest must be allowed, during which the plants should be sparingly watered, so as not to become quite dry. Propagation may be effected by seeds, sown in bottom heat; or by division of the tubers. S. concinnum (neat). fl., spathe narrow-lanceolate, very acute; spadix white and purple, scarcely shorter than the spathe, the male part dense-flowered; peduncle livid-purple, shorter than the petioles. l., young ones reniform, pedatisect, the segments obovate-lanceolate; adults three-parted, the middle part pinnatisect, elongated-oblong, the lateral parts cymosely bi-or trisected; petioles nearly as long as the blades, marked with pale violet and dark purple. h. 1 1/2ft. Brazil, 1860. (L. B. C. 1590, under name of Caladium luridum.) S. c. colubrinum (snake-like). fl., spathe greyish-green, marked with red and brownish-purple; spadix pale greenish and dirty-scarlet. Rio Janeiro, 1860. S. c. Langsdorffi (Langsdorff's). fl., spathe glaucous-green outside, livid or dirty-brown within; spadix rose-violet. l., petioles green, more or less conspicuously spotted with white. h. 1 1/2ft. Rio Janeiro, 1860. S. c. lineolatum (lined). fl., spathe greyish-green outside, with ochraceous stripes, brownish-purple within; spadix dirty-yellowish and rose-colour. h. 1 1/2ft. Rio Janeiro, 1860.
S. Luschnathianum (Luschnath's). fl., spathe deep green within and speckled with brown, reticulated externally, 2in. to 4in. long, erect, cylindric, acute; spadix cylindric; anthers scarlet; ovaries white; scape similar to the petiole. l. 1ft. to 2ft. long, deep green, pinnatifid, broadly ovate; two lower segments deflexed, deeply cut into three to five lobes; remaining segments four to six pairs, sessile, remote, irregularly sinuate-lobed or entire; petioles 6in. to 12in. long, whitish, with black-purple streaks. Rio Janeiro. (B. M. 5972, under name of Asterostigma Luschnathianum.) S. Riedelianum (Riedel's). fl., spathe yellowish, greenish outside; spadix slender, one-third shorter than the spathe; peduncles many, variegated. l., adults three-parted; middle part pinnatisect, the segments linear-oblong, sessile, abruptly and rather long-cuspidate at apex; lower lateral ones shortly decurrent; peduncles spotted and variegated, scarcely longer than the blades. h. 2ft. Bahia, 1860.