Stenomesson
(from stenos, narrow, and messon, middle; alluding to the shape of the perianth). Including Callithauma, Chrysiphiala, Clitanthus, Coburgia, Neaera, and Sphaerothele. ORD. Amaryllideae. This genus comprises, according to Mr. Baker, nineteen species of stove or greenhouse, bulbous plants, natives of tropical America. Flowers many in an umbel, very rarely reduced to one, often on pendulous, recurved pedicels; perianth red, orange, or fulvous, showy; tube elongated, sub-cylindrical, often slightly contracted above the base or towards the middle; lobes sub-equal, erect or more or less spreading; stamens erect, connected on a six-toothed corona; involucral bracts two, broad or narrow. Leaves appearing with the flowers, linear or rather broad, loriform. Except where otherwise indicated, the under-mentioned species require greenhouse heat. For culture, see Hippeastrum. S. aurantiacum (orange). fl. nodding; perianth yellow, the segments ovate, erect; stamens included; bracts shorter than the pedicels; umbels two-flowered. May. l. ligulate, with revolute margins. h. 1ft. Quito, 1843. (B. R. 1844, 42, and R. H. 1883, p. 396, under name of S. Hartwegii.) S. coccineum (scarlet).* fl. four to eight in an umbel, drooping; perianth bright crimson, 1 1/2in. long, the oblong-lanceolate segments half as long as the tube; scape 1ft. or more high, firm, terete. May. l. four or five, 1ft. or more long, moderately fleshy. Peruvian Andes, 1850. (Ref. B. 309.) SYN. Coburgia coccinea (B. M. 3865).
S. croceum (yellow). fl. nearly erect, four in an umbel; perianth golden, 1 1/2in. long, the tube curved, the limb segments connivent; bracts 1in. long, marcescent; scape 1ft. long, terete, glaucous. May. l. linear-lanceolate or oval-lanceolate, solitary, green above, whitish beneath. Peru, 1820. (B. M. 2641, under name of S. flavum B. R. 778, under name of Chrysiphiala flava.) S. curvidentatum (curved-toothed). fl. shortly pedicellate; perianth golden, pale greenish below, 1 1/2in. long, curved, the segments reflexed, obtuse; coronal teeth recurved; bracts 1/2in. long, marcescent; scape terete, 6in. long, two-flowered. May. l. lanceolate-oval, compressed, sub-acute. Peru, 1842. (B. M. 2640.) S. Hartwegii (Hartweg's). A synonym of S. aurantiacum. S. humilis (dwarf). fl., perianth scarlet, nearly 3in. long, the tube cylindrical, enlarged above, the limb somewhat spreading; scape one-flowered. March. l. green, glabrous, shining, sub-acute, slightly channelled, nearly 1ft. long, and about 1/4in. broad. Cordilleras, 1841. SYN. Coburgia humilis (B. R. 1842, 46).
S. incarnata (flesh-coloured).* fl. very shortly pedicellate; perianth variable in colour, usually red, nearly 5in. long, glabrous, the segments ovate-elliptic, slightly obtuse, spotted, nearly 1in. long; scape four or five-flowered, erect, about 2ft. high. August. l. linear, narrowed above, obtuse, entire, succulent, reticulate-nerved, glabrous, erect, 1 1/2ft. long, 1in. broad. Quito, 1826. (R. G. 1147.) SYN. Coburgia incarnata (S. B. F. G. ser. ii. 17). The following so-called species are regarded, by Mr. Baker, as "apparently only, in a broad sense, varieties differing principally in the colour of the flower":
S. i. fulvum (fulvous). fl., perianth tawny, 4 1/2in. long; bracts persistent; scape above 2ft. long. l. about six, linear-ligulate, 1 1/2ft. or more long. SYN. Coburgia fulva (B. M. 3221; B. R. 1497).
S. i. trichromum (three-coloured). fl., perianth tube scarlet, 4 3/4in. long, slightly curved; limb segments green above the middle, paler within. l. glaucous, obtuse, sub-erect. SYN. Coburgia trichroma (B. M. 3867 and 5686). S. i. versicolor (various-coloured). fl., perianth varying in colour from scarlet to whitish-fulvous, the lower part curved, 1in. long, the upper part ventricose, 1 1/2in. long; limb 1in. long, the segments acute, spotted with green outside, whitish within. l. 2 1/2ft. long, 2in. broad. SYN. Coburgia versicolor (B. R. xxviii. 66).
S. latifolium (broad-leaved). fl. shortly pedicellate, nearly erect; perianth orange-yellow, the tube cylindrical-infundibular, the segments spreading-recurved; scape umbellately five-flowered, green. March. l. petiolate, lanceolate-oblong, acuminate, narrowed into the petioles, striate-nerved. h. 1ft. Lima, 1837. Stove. (B. M. 3803.) S. luteo-viride (yellowish-green). fl. five or six in an umbel, on very short pedicels; perianth tube greenish-yellow, cylindrical, 2in. to 3in. long, the segments yellow, with a distinct, green keel, 1in. long; corona green, 1/2in. long; scape 1 1/2ft. long. Spring. l. about four, linear-lorate, glabrous, 1ft. long, 1in. broad, narrowed gradually to the point. Andes, 1878. (B. M. 6508.) S. pauciflorum (few-flowered). fl. two to an umbel, one sessile, the other pedicellate, nearly erect; perianth yellow, nearly 2in. long, contracted above the middle, the segments green at back, concave, lanceolate, rigid; stamens exserted; scape glaucous. May. l. lanceolate, narrowed at both ends, petiolate. h. 1ft. Peru, 1822. SYN. Chrysiphiala pauciflora (H. E. F. 132). S. Pearcei (Pearce's). fl. six to eight in an umbel; perianth greenish-yellow, cernuous, funnel-shaped, the segments primrose-yellow, tinged externally with green, oblong, erecto-patent; pedicels 2in. to 4in. long; scape 2 1/2ft. to 3ft. high, firm, slightly compressed. May. l. lorate-lanceolate, 1 1/2ft. long, narrowed gradually upwards to an acute point, and downwards into a flattened petiole 2in. to 3in. long, the edges rather revolute Andes of Bolivia, 1872. (Ref. B. 308.) S. Stricklandi (Strickland's). fl. five or six in an umbel; perianth bright red, the segments longer than the tube. Spring. l. petiolate, oblong-lanceolate. Andes of Ecuador, 1882.
S. suspensum (suspended). fl. four to six, drooping, on pedicels about 1in. long; perianth bright scarlet, 1 1/2in. long, the tube half its length, the divisions 1/2in. deep; spathe two-leaved, 1 1/2in. long; scape firm, erect, naked, 1ft. high. May. l. two, linear, acute, 1ft. long, 1/2in. broad, fleshy. Peru, 1865. (Ref. B. 22.) S. viridiflorum (green-flowered). fl., perianth green, very pretty; peduncle short; bracts marcescent, deciduous; scape erect, 6ft. high, terete, smooth. May. l. long, flat, ensiform, about 3/4in. broad, erecto-patent, diverging. Peru, 1839. SYN. Callithauma viridiflorum (B. M. 3866). S. vitellinum (yolk-of-egg-coloured).* fl. on short pedicels, six in an umbel; perianth yellow, with erect segments; stamens exserted; scape 7in. long, glaucous. April. l. obovate-oblong, three-nerved, petiolate, recurved at the margins, glaucous beneath. h. 1ft. Lima, 1842. Stove. (B. R. 1843, 2.)