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Streptocarpus (Greek compound, meaning twisted fruit). Gesneriaceae. Cape Primrose. Herbs, frequently villous or lanate, adapted to greenhouse culture; choice plants, grown for the showy bloom.

Streptocarpus (Greek compound, meaning twisted fruit). Gesneriaceae. Cape Primrose. Herbs, frequently villous or lanate, adapted to greenhouse culture; choice plants, grown for the showy bloom.

Streptocarpuses are not difficult plants to grow. They are usually raised from seeds, the seedlings blooming in eight to fifteen months from starting. The seeds are very small, and care must be taken not to cover them too deep. Give an open sunny place in an intermediate temperature. They are not stove or warmhouse plants. Of the new hybrid forms, seeds sown in February or March should produce plants that will bloom the following fall and winter; after blooming, the plants may be discarded, for better results are usually secured from new plants than from those more than one season old. The season of most profuse bloom is summer, but the bloom continues until winter. The monophyllous species can be propagated also by cuttings of the leaf. Some fanciers of Cape primroses advise propagating select types by leaf-cuttings or by division.

Streptocarpuses are not difficult plants to grow. They are usually raised from seeds, the seedlings blooming in eight to fifteen months from starting. The seeds are very small, and care must be taken not to cover them too deep. Give an open sunny place in an intermediate temperature. They are not stove or warmhouse plants. Of the new hybrid forms, seeds sown in February or March should produce plants that will bloom the following fall and winter; after blooming, the plants may be discarded, for better results are usually secured from new plants than from those more than one season old. The season of most profuse bloom is summer, but the bloom continues until winter. The monophyllous species can be propagated also by cuttings of the leaf. Some fanciers of Cape primroses advise propagating select types by leaf-cuttings or by division.

 

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==Cultivation==

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'''''Streptocarpus''''' is a [[genus]] of [[herbaceous]] [[flowering plants]] in the family [[Gesneriaceae]], closely related to the genus ''[[Saintpaulia]]''. One common name is '''Cape Primrose''', referring to the nativity of several species to [[South Africa]] and their superficial resemblance to the genus ''[[Primula]]''. The genus is native to parts of [[Africa]] and [[Madagascar]] (with a few odd species in [[Asia]] that probably do not belong in the genus).  The plants often grow on shaded rocky hillsides or cliffs.  About 155 species of ''Streptocarpus'' are currently recognized, the first described being ''S. rexii''. They are found growing on the ground, rock crevices, and almost anywhere the seed can germinate and grow. Some species such as ''S. dunnii'' are [[unifoliate]] with the plant producing no true leaves, only a single [[cotyledon]] that continues to grow throughout the life of the plant.  The unifoliate species are [[Hapaxanth|monocarpic]] and die after producing seeds. Other species are [[perennial plant|perennial]] and come into flower during different parts of the year.  Members of [[subgenus]] ''Streptocarpella'' are more typical [[caulescent]] herbs and are sometimes grown as bedding or hanging plants.  The genus is defined by having a spirally twisted fruit (hence the name "streptocarpus"), although this character is also found in some other [[Old World]] genera of Gesneriaceae.  Recent [[phylogenetic]] studies strongly suggest that although it does not have a twisted fruit the genus ''Saintpaulia'' has evolved from within subgenus ''Streptocarpella''.

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The leaves of some perennial (and particularly unifoliate) Streptocarpus are unusual because as winter approaches they slowly die back to an [[abscission line]] midway down the leaf.  The tip of the leaf will gradually die back to this line. In most flowering plants an absiscion line forms at the base of the leaf.

===Pests and diseases===

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==Species==

 

 

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*''[[Streptocarpus dunnii]]''

*''[[Streptocarpus dunnii]]''

*''[[Streptocarpus rexii]]''

*''[[Streptocarpus rexii]]''

Streptocarpus flowers are born on short and long peduncles (flower stems) that attach to the leaf stem. Several peduncles may be produced per leaf. New flowers come with new leaf growth.

The following species are either little known or have not found their way into general cult.: {{SCH}}

*S. hybridus. Hort., is a name applied to garden hybrids in general.—S. Kirkii, Hook. f. Caulescent; st. 4-6 in. high, stout, erect, hairy: lvs. 1-2 in. long, broadly ovate, obtuse, crenate, finely pubescent on both surfaces, base rounded or cordate; petiole 1/3-1/2 in. long: scapes axillary, very slender, 3-4 in. high: fls. drooping, opposite; calyx-lobes lanceolate, pubescent; corolla 3/4 in. long, pale lilac, tube hairy, upcurved, broad and subcampanulate, mouth expanded, lobes short rounded, ciliate, Trop. E. Afr. B.M. 6782. (Section I.) Allied to S. caulescens.{{SCH}}

*S. lichtensteinensis, Hort. (S. Wendlandii X S. Watsonii), has 2 lvs., 1 prostrate and the other smaller and erect: fls. numerous, lilac-blue. Garden hybrid.{{SCH}}

*S. multiflora, Laing., is a seedling of S. Rexii, with up to 30 large bluish purple fls., which have darker purple lines in the throat and running up onto the lower lip. Garden hybrid. G.C. III. 18:211; 32:327. I.H. 43. p. 67.{{SCH}}

*S. Veitchii, Hort, is offered in the trade.{{SCH}}

Rosulate Streptocarpus form small clumps.  As the plant grows it produces creeping stems that produce roots and will eventually separate to form other colonies. These creeping stems are called rhizomes.

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There are several societies and organizations that exchange plant material for propagation in the form of leaf cuttings, plants and seeds as well as sharing their knowledge to help other growers. These societies are both large and small, and many of them are internet based groups. The Streptocarpus is a fairly new introduction as a houseplant and because there is not a wide information base on these plants new terminology is being introduced to describe them.  For example, much of the communication between society and club members refer to Streptocarpus simply as "streps". In addition, some old terms associated with roses are now being adapted to Streptocarpus, namely "grandiflora" and "multiflora".  Grandiflora refers to a cultivar that has relatively large flowers. Multiflora refers to a cultivar that has many flowers on a single peduncle, each flower usually being significantly smaller than those of the grandifloras.

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The innovative efforts of modern hybridizers resulted in many exciting successes. One of these is the development of scented hybrids from crosses with S. vandeleurii.  Another is the red flowers that are now found on many easy to raise cultivars, achieved by crossing a red unifoliate with modern hybrids.

<!--- xxxxx  *Flora: The Gardener's Bible, by Sean Hogan. Global Book Publishing, 2003. ISBN 0881925381  -->

<!--- xxxxx  *American Horticultural Society: A-Z Encyclopedia of Garden Plants, by Christopher Brickell, Judith D. Zuk. 1996. ISBN 0789419432 -->

<!--- xxxxx  *Sunset National Garden Book. Sunset Books, Inc., 1997. ISBN 0376038608  -->

===External links===

==External links==

*[http://www.botanik.univie.ac.at/morphology/genera_gesneriaceae/genera/streptocarpus.htm Streptocarpus] from [http://www.botanik.univie.ac.at/morphology/genera_gesneriaceae The Genera of Gesneriaceae]

[[Category:Categorize]]

*[http://si.persoon.edu/gesneriaceae/checklist World Checklist of Gesneriaceae]

[[Category:Gesneriaceae]]

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[[Category:Garden plants]]