The African violet (Saintpaulia) is of the Gesneriaceae family. A perennial plant with fine-haired, round leaves and velvety petals, African violets prefer a constant temperature with high humidity. They can be propagated by leaf cutting or seed. African violets are not related to true violets. African Violet Sauntpaulia is the Scientific Name for an African Violet. ... Genera See text Gesneriaceae is a family of flowering plant consisting of 146 genera and 2400 species, mostly in the Old World tropics but also many in the New World tropics as well, with a few extending to temperate areas. ... A Red Valerian, a perennial plant. ... Plant cuttings are a way of vegetatively (asexually) propagating plants. ... Violet could refer to: Violet (color), a color approximately the same as purple. ...

African violet (Saintpaulia)

From a collection of my own houseplant photos. ... From a collection of my own houseplant photos. ...

History

The flower is indirectly named after Baron Walter von Saint Paul Illaire, the district commissioner of Tanga province who discovered the plant in Tanganyika (now Tanzania) in Africa in 1892 and sent seeds back to his father, an amateur botanist, in Germany. Wildflowers A flower is the reproductive organ of those plants classified as angiosperms (flowering plants; Division Magnoliophyta). ... For other meanings, see Tanga (Portugal), Tanga (clothing) and Tanga (Movie). ... Tanganyika was an East African republic within the British Commonwealth, named after Lake Tanganyika, which formed its western border. ... Africa is the worlds second-largest continent and second most populous after Asia. ... 1892 was a leap year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ...

Two British plant enthusiasts, Sir John Kirk and Reverend W.E. Taylor, had earlier collected and submitted specimens to Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew in 1884 and 1887 respectively, but the quality of specimens was insufficient to permit scientific description at that time. The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, usually referred to simply as Kew Gardens, are extensive gardens and botanical glasshouses between Richmond upon Thames and Kew in southwest London, England. ... 1884 is a leap year starting on Tuesday (click on link to calendar). ... 1887 is a common year starting on Saturday (click on link for calendar). ...

Properties

Pink African violet (Saintpaulia)

It is widely cultivated as a house plant. The plant thrives in humus (decayed matter). It grows from 3 to 5 inches (8 to 13 centimetres) tall and can be anywhere from 3-24 inches wide. Common cultivated varieties are classified as Large, Standard, Semi-mini, mini, and micro with micro being the very smallest. The flowers, up to 1 inch (2.5 centimetres) across, grow in clusters of three or more on slender stalks(peduncles). They range in colour from white, pink, violet, yellow, and some even green. There are many different leaf and flower types found on the African Violet. One interesting flower form found in the African Violet are known as a "wasp". Wasp flowers are flowers that have the upper two flower petals independently fused forming a tube. There are also compound leafs on some African Violets that are called "bustled". Pink African Violet File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Pink African Violet File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... A houseplant is a plant that one grows in a dwelling, such as a house or office. ... For article about the oriental food, see Hummus. ...

Sources of Information

• World Book encyclopedia 1988.

World Book Encyclopedia is, according to the publisher, the number-one selling print encyclopedia in the world [1]. The first edition (1917) contained 8 volumes. ...

External links

• African Violets
• African Violet photo gallery