SALVIA, a large genus belonging to the natural order Labiatae (q.v.), containing about 500 species in the temperate and warmer regions of both hemispheres. The name is derived from the Lat. salvo, from the healing properties of sage, S. officinalis (see figure under Labiatae). S. verbenaea, Clary, is a native of Britain found in dry pastures and waste places.
Some of the Salvias are among the most showy of the soft-wooded winter-flowering plants, the blossoms being of a bright glowing scarlet. The three most useful species are S. splendens, S. Heerii and S. gesneriflora, the first beginning to flower early in the autumn and lasting till Christmas, while the others follow immediately in succession, and continue in full beauty till April. Young plants should be propagated annually about February, and after nursing through the spring should be grown outdoors in a fully exposed situation, where they can be plunged in some non-conducting material, such as half-decomposed leaves. The young shoots should be stopped to secure bushy plants, but not later than the middle of August. The most suitable compost for them is a mixture
From Strasburger's Lehrbuch der Botanik, by permission of Gustav Fischer.
Pollination of Salvia Pratensis.
1, Flower visited by a bumble-bee,
showing the projection
of the curved connective
from the helmet-shaped
upper lip and the deposition
of the pollen on the back of
the bumble-bee.
2, Older flower, with connective
drawn back, and elongated
style.
4, The staminal apparatus at
rest, with connective enclosed
within the upper lip.
3, The same when disturbed by
the entrance of the proboscis
of the bee in the direction of
the arrow.
f, Filament.
c, Connective.
s, The obstructing half of the
anther.
of mellow fibry loam enriched with a little mild thoroughly decomposed manure, made sufficiently porous by the addition of sand or grit. In spring, and during the blooming period, the temperature should be intermediate between that of a stove and greenhouse. There are other very ornamental species of easy growth, increased by cuttings in spring, and succeeding well in ordinary rich loamy soil. Of these S. angustifolia bears spikes of fine bright-blue flowers in May or June; S. chamaedryoides, a dwarfish subject, has deep-blue flowers in August; S. fulgens produces scarlet flowers in August; and S. involuerata produces fine red flowers during the autumn. S. patens is a lovely blue free-blooming sort, flowering in August, the colour being unique.