S: Symbol for sulfur, an essential element.
Sabrina: Rhapsodie variety. Medium, standard African Violet (4-inch pot size) with single, two-tone pink flowers and dark green leaves (red reverse). Introduced 1988. (AVSA Reg. No. 6989) More information.
Sagittarius: Optimara variety. Compact, African Violet (3-inch pot size) with single, bi-color flowers. Flowers are purple and white. Leaves are dark green (girl-type). Introduced 1987. (AVSA Reg. No. 6594) More information.
Sailor Boy: Early African Violet cultivar from which many of today's varieties have been developed. One of the first 10 commercial hybrids introduced in 1927, all of which had blue flowers. More information.
Saint Martin: The first commercial hybrid developed by Holtkamp Greenhouses. Introduced in 1952 by Hermann Holtkamp, who named the variety in honor of his father-in-law, Martin Dorrenbach.
Saintpaul, Baron von (Walter): Credited with the first recorded discovery of the African Violet, in 1892. The person for whom the Saintpaulia is named.
Saintpaulia: Genus to which African Violets belong.
Saintpaulia brevipilosa: One of the 20 confirmed species of Saintpaulia. Compact plant with round, light green leaves and purple flowers. S. brevipilosa is single-crowned, though unlike the familiar single-crowned Ionantha, it does not grow in the rosette form. Instead, the leaves and stems grow in random directions, sometimes in such a way as to conceal the flowers. Brevipilosa derives from the Latin brevi (short) + pilosus (haired) in recognition of the plant's leaves which have short hairs. First recorded discovery comes from the Nguru Mountains in eastern Tanzania.
Saintpaulia confusa: One of the 20 confirmed species of Saintpaulia. May be multiple-stemmed, but usually grows as a single-crowned plant. S. confusa has purple flowers and medium, green, slightly serrated and quilted leaves. It tends to grow sideways, over the rim of the pot. Many of today's varieties are the descendants of hybrid developed from S. confusa and S. ionantha. Confusa derives from the Latin confusus (confused). The nomenclature is said to recognize either the the plant's sideways or "confused" growth habit or the fact that the species was initially mistaken for S. ionantha.
Saintpaulia difficilis: One of the 20 confirmed species of Saintpaulia. May be multiple-stemmed, but usually grows as a single-crowned plant. S. difficilis has purple flowers and very light green, long, pointed leaves which tend to be spooned. Leaf stems tend to grow upward, instead of outward, as would be characteristic of the rosette form. Difficilis derives from the Latin difficilis (difficult) presumably because the plant was perceived to be difficult to cultivate. While this may not necessarily be true, its very light green leaves, which cup upwards, can give the impression of poor culture. First recorded discovery in the Usambara Mountains.
Saintpaulia diplotricha: One of the 20 confirmed species of Saintpaulia. Small plant with very pale blue flowers and serrated, dark green leaves. Growth habit is most often rosette. Diplotricha derives from the Greek diplo (two) + trichos (hair). First recorded discovery in the Usambara Mountains.
Saintpaulia goltziana: One of the 20 confirmed species of Saintpaulia. Small trailer with numerous crowns. S. goltziana has white or very pale blue flowers and small, round, dark green leaves. This species thrives under very cool temperatures, ranging from 40 to 60 degrees F. Goltziana is a Latinization of "Goltz," the collector who first identified the species. First recorded discovery in the Uluguru Mountains of eastern Tanzania.
Saintpaulia grandifolia: One of the 20 confirmed species of Saintpaulia. Large, single-crowned plant with an upright growth habit. S. grandifolia has blue flowers and large, light green leaves. Flowers tend to grow in large clusters. Grandifolia derives from the Latin grandi (large) + folius (leaf) in recognition of its very large leaves and growth habit. First recorded discovery in the Usambara Mountains.
Saintpaulia grotei: One of the 20 confirmed species of Saintpaulia. Very large trailer with large, serrated, medium green leaves. Flowers are blue with a darker blue center. S. grotei is distinctive for its long, brown petioles and the fact it is a climber if given the support to do so. Grotei is a Latinization of "Grote," the collector who first identified the species. First recorded discovery in the Usambara Mountains.
Saintpaulia inconspicua: One of the 20 confirmed species of Saintpaulia. Small trailer with small blue and white flowers. Though only identified as a species of Saintpaulia in 1958, S. inconspicua is believed to be extinct. Inconspicua derives from the Latin inconspicuus (inconspicuous) presumably in recognition of it small size and the fact that it was overlooked for so long. First recorded discovery in the Uluguru Mountains of eastern Tanzania.
Saintpaulia intermedia: One of the 20 confirmed species of Saintpaulia. Grows upright and may be single-crowned or a trailer. S. intermedia has medium blue flowers and round, slightly serrated leaves which tend to be spooned. Intermedia derives from the Latin intermedius (intermediate or in between) in recognition of the plant's growth habit, which appears to be half way between an upright rosette and a trailer. First recorded discovery in the Usambara Mountains.
Saintpaulia ionantha: One of the 20 confirmed species of Saintpaulia. Grows upright and may be a trailer, though much better known for its large, rosette growth habit. S. ionantha has violet-blue flowers and quilted, dark green leaves with a serrated edge. This is the species from which almost all of today's cultivars have descended. (Also see Saintpaulia confusa.) Ionantha derives from the Greek ion (purple) + anthos (flower) in recognition of the plant's purple flowers. First recorded discovery in the Usambara Mountains.
Saintpaulia magungensis: One of the 20 confirmed species of Saintpaulia. Compact trailer with round, slightly spooned leaves. Flowers are blue with a darker blue center. S. magungensis no longer grows wildly in Africa, though some still remain in cultivation. Magungensis is a Latinization of "Magunga," a city in northeastern Tanzania, not far from where the first recorded discovery of the species was made.
Saintpaulia nitida: One of the 20 confirmed species of Saintpaulia. Grows upright and may be single-crowned or a trailer. S. nitida has small, dark blue flowers and smooth, dark green leaves. Nitida derives from the Latin nitidus (shining or smooth) in recognition of its smooth, shiny leaves. First recorded discovery in the Ulugura Mountains of eastern Tanzania.
Saintpaulia orbicularis: One of the 20 confirmed species of Saintpaulia. May be single-crowned or a trailer. S. orbicularis has round, shiny, dark green leaves and purplish-brown petioles. Its small flowers are pale blue with a darker blue center. Orbicularis derives from the Latin orbicularis (circular) in recognition of the plant's almost circular leaves. First recorded discovery in the Usambara Mountains.
Saintpaulia pendula: One of the 20 confirmed species of Saintpaulia. Medium trailer with pale blue flowers and round, serrated, yellow to grayish-yellow leaves. S. pendula is distinctive for its flowers which grow only one per peduncle. Pendula derives from the Latin pendulus (hanging). First recorded discovery in the Usambara Mountains.
Saintpaulia pusilla: One of the 20 confirmed species of Saintpaulia. The smallest of the Saintpaulia species. S. pusilla has small, bi-colored flowers. The flowers are blue and white. Leaves have a purple underside. S. pusilla is the species from which the first true miniature African Violets were developed. (Also see Saintpaulia shumensis.) The species is now believed to be extinct, though some probably still exist in cultivation. Pusilla derives from the Latin pusillus (very small) in recognition of the plant's very small size. First recorded discovery in the Ulugura Mountains of eastern Tanzania.
Saintpaulia rupicola: One of the 20 confirmed species of Saintpaulia. A trailer with purple flowers and scalloped, medium green leaves. Rupicola derives from the Latin rupe (cliff) + cola (dweller) in recognition of the terrain to which it is indigenous. First recorded discovery in Kenya, northwest of Mombasa.
Saintpaulia shumensis: One of the 20 confirmed species of Saintpaulia. Very small trailer. Flowers are pale blue with a darker blue center. Leaves are small, round and bright green. Many of the more recent true miniatures have been developed from S. Shumensis. (Also see Saintpaulia pusilla.) Shumensis is a Latinization of "Shume," an area in the Usambara Mountains where the first recorded discovery of the species was made.
Saintpaulia teitensis: One of the 20 confirmed species of Saintpaulia. Upright, single-crowned plant with round, scalloped, dark green leaves and pale purple flowers which are often hidden beneath the leaves. Teitensis is a Latinization of "Teita," from the Teita Hills in southwest Kenya (northwest of Nairobi), where the first recorded discovery of the species was made.
Saintpaulia tongwensis: One of the 20 confirmed species of Saintpaulia. Large, upright, single-crowned plant which, like S. confusa, tends to grow sideways over the edge of the pot. S. tongwensis is a profuse bloomer with light blue flowers and large, pointed, dark green leaves. Tongwensis is a Latinization of "Tongwe," a mountain in southeastern Tanzania where the first recorded discovery of the species was made.
Saintpaulia velutina: One of the 20 confirmed species of Saintpaulia. Sometimes grows as a trailer, but most often has a rosette growth habit. Flowers are light blue with a darker blue center. Leaves are dark green with a serrated edge. Leaf hairs give the leaves a velvety texture. Velutina derives from the Latin velutinus (velvety) in recognition of the soft, velvety hair that covers the leaves. First recorded discovery in the Usambara Mountains.
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