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African Violet Species
The First Saintpaulia
Although the modern hybrids of African violets are gorgeous, have fancy features such as petal edging, variegated foliage, and even recently, hybridizing attempts at having year-round blooms, they all originated with the species plants.
There are different areas that the species were discovered in but the original discovery was made in 1892 in Eastern tropical Africa by Baron Walter von Saint Paul, the Imperial District Captain of Usambara. The two habitat types that the plant was found in are " in wooded places, in the fissures of limestone rocks, as well as rich soils with plenty of vegetable matter. The second place is in the primeval forest of Numbara, likewise in shady situations, but no granite rocks, 2500 feet above the sea." **
From the original discoveries came today's hybrids. I believe it is important to grow and preserve species plants, and below are some scans of my species African violet plants. I have also listed the names of the species that I am currently aware of, and the description if I have found it. Descriptions are from the AVSA's First Class software program, unless otherwise noted.
S. brevipilosa (S 10a) 1964 (B. Burtt) Single light purple/darker center; 1-4 per peduncle, very short lived. Light green, small, round, thin, glossy, soft, velvety, tightly bunched/pale back; randomly curved petioles. Usually single crown. Miniature to Semiminiature to Small standard
S. confusa (S 16) 1958 (B. Burtt) Single dark purple, 2-6 per peduncle. Variable floriferousness. Medium green, thin, quilted, leathery, flexible, serrated/near-white back. Often multi-crowned. May develop sideways growth habit. Semiminiature to Standard
S. difficilis (S 15) 1958 (B. Burtt) Single medium to dark blue, 5-7 per peduncle. Chartreuse, longifolia, tends to spoon, thin, deep veining, crinkled, rough, long hairs. Long, bent petiole. Usually single crown, may sucker. Standard
S. diplotricha-pale flowers
S. diplotricha #3396 ( now should be labeled # 3085) -Uppsala Botanical Gardens, Sweden
S. diplotricha (Usambara Mountains) Pale lilac with an almost pink undertone. Slightly olive color leaves. 7 blossoms per penduncle. (description from Cape Cod Violetry catalog)
S. diplotricha parker (species) Rounded heart-shaped dark leaves. Pale lavender blossom.(description from Cape Cod Violetry catalog)
S. diplotricha Punter #0 (S 12c) 1947 (B. Burtt) Single pale lilac/bright yellow stamens; seven per peduncle. Dark green, pointed, thick, serrated. Single crown, may sucker. Small standard
S. diplotricha Punter #6 (S 12a) 1947 (B. Burtt) Single pale lilac to light blue/bright yellow stamens; one per peduncle. Dark green, small, round, may spoon, lotus-type. Single crown, may sucker. Standard
S. diplotricha Punter #7 (S 12b) 1947 (B. Burtt) Single blue-gray to near white/bright yellow stamens. Dark olive green, plain, heart-shaped, pointed/light red back. Single crown, may sucker. Small standard
S. goetzeana (S 10) 1900 (A. Engler) Single tiny pale lilac to near white/darker upper petals. Three or more per peduncle, rarely blooms. Dark green, small, round, thick, smooth edge/lighter back. Creeping, branched stems, multi-crowned. Miniature trailer
S. grandifolia #237 (S 7) 1958 (B. Burtt) Single blue-violet, one or more per peduncle, floriferous. Light green, elliptical, very thin, long flexible petiole. Usually single crown. Large
S. grandifolia #299 (S 7a) 1958 (B. Burtt) Single dark blue-violet, one or more per peduncle, very floriferous. Light to medium green, elliptical, very thin, crinkled, long flexible petiole. Usually single crown. Large
S. grotei (S 17) 1921 (A. Engler) Single, light-medium blue/variable darker eye, 2-3 per peduncle. Flowers may hide under foliage. Pale-dark green, variable texture, round, serrated on most clones. Usually near-white back, occasionally red. Green or brown flexible petiole, variable internode length. Large trailer
S. grotei amazon (Engler) Amazon version of S. grotei (description from Cape Cod Violetry catalog)
S. House of Amani (species) Single medium lavender-blue, 3-7 per peduncle, hides under leaves, short-lived. Dark green, pointed, quilted, smooth, prominent veins, serrated/occasional red back, petiole. Usually single crown. Never declared a true species. Standard
S. intermedia (S 9) 1958 (B. Burtt) Single medium blue, 5-7 per peduncle, sparse. Olive green, small, round, tends to spoon, velvety, slightly serrated/purple-red back, prominent green veins. Single crown to trailing. Small standard or Trailer
S. inconspicua (S 1) 1958 (B. Burtt) Single small blue-spotted white, atypical of other species, one or more per peduncle. Frail. Not known in collections. Miniature trailer
S. ionantha (S 5) 1893 (H. Wendland) Single blue-violet, 4-5 per peduncle, very floriferous. Dark green, pointed, heart-shaped, tends to spoon, thick, quilted, glossy, slightly serrated, long red-brown petiole/red back. Large
S. white ionantha (species) Light green foliage. Blossoms are white with occasional pale lilac tinge to them. (description from Cape Cod Violetry catalog)
S. magungensis (S 19) 1950 (E. Roberts) Single small dark violet-blue/darker eye, 2-4 per peduncle, very floriferous. Round, cupped-down, pebbled, slightly serrated, brown petiole/green-white back, prominent midrib. Semiminiature trailer
S. magungensis var. minima (S 19a) 1964 (B. Burtt) Single tiny light purple/darker eye, 1-2 per peduncle, rarely blooms. Medium, small, cupped-down, thin, hairy, serrated, red-brown petiole. Miniature trailer
S. magungensis var. occidentalis (S 19b) 1964 (B. Burtt) Single medium violet-blue/darker eye, 2-5 per peduncle. Medium green, ovate, tends to fold and spoon, glossy. Bushy trailer
S. nitida (S 13) 1958 (B. Burtt) Single dark blue-purple, 8-10 per peduncle, floriferous. Dark green, round, may spoon, smooth, glossy, slender brown petiole/red back. Open growth. Small or bushy trailer or multi-crowned standard
S. nova – Nguru mountains
S. orbicularis (S 14) 1947 (B. Burtt) Single small light lilac to almost white/darker eye, 5-8 per peduncle, floriferous but drops easily. Bright green, small, round to heart-shaped, thin, glossy. Single or multi-crowned. Small standard to Standard
S. orbicularis var. purpurea (S 14a) 1964 (B. Burtt) Single small dark purple, 5-8 per peduncle, very floriferous. Dark green, round to heart-shaped, thin, glossy/light back. Single or multiple crown. Standard
S. pendula (S 8) 1958 (B. Burtt) Single pale-medium blue, one per peduncle, difficult to bloom. Pale to yellow-green, textured, slightly elongated to ovate, very hairy, serrated, variable internode length/pale back. Trailer
S. pendula var. kizarae (S 8a) 1964 (B. Burtt) Single lavender, 2-4 per peduncle, floriferous. Light green, round, hairy, serrated. Trailer
S. pusilla (S 2) 1900 (A. Engler) Single, tiny white/mauve top petals, one or more per peduncle. Leaves tiny, triangular/purple back. Not known in collections, but may exist in some mountain ranges in Tanzania. Miniature
S. robertson (species) Large growing light green foliage. Medium to dark blue blossoms. (description from Cape Cod Violetry catalog)
S. rupicola (S 10b) 1964 (B. Burtt) Single light-medium blue, three or more per peduncle. Light-medium green, heart-shaped, soft, smooth, glossy, velvety/light back. Leaves sometimes thick. Multi-crowned standard or Bushy trailer
S. shumensis (S 3) 1955 (B. Burtt) Single pale blue to almost white/variable darker eye, usually four per peduncle, sparse bloom. Bright green, pebbled, glossy, slightly serrated, short petiole, leaf blade twisted in some clones. Single crown, but tends to sucker easily. Miniature to Semiminiature
S. Sigi Falls (species)Single variable blue-violet, 2-4 per peduncle, medium to difficult to bloom. Dull green, tends to look mottled, longifolia, may spoon, thick, tough, very hairy, varies in size/purple-red back. Multi-crowned. Never declared a true species. Large standard to Bushy trailer
S. teitensis (S 4) 1958 (B. Burtt) Single light blue-violet; 1-2 per peduncle, rare blooms hide under leaves. Dark, slightly pointed, may spoon; thick, rough, brittle, glossy/red, sometimes light green back. Usually grows upright. Standard
S. tongwensis (S 6) 1947 (B. Burtt) Single pale blue, may show dark pinwheel marking when grown cool; 4-6 per peduncle, very floriferous. Dark green, pointed, narrow, very thick, hairy, slightly serrated/some red back. May appear variegated with mottled pattern over main veins. Usually upright single crown, rarely suckers. Standard
S. velutina (S 11) 1958 (B. Burtt) Single small medium violet/darker eye, some white tips. Five per peduncle, floriferous. Black-green, round to heart-shaped, may cup up or down, thin, hairy, velvety, pronounced veining, serrated/red-purple back. Single crown, may sucker. Standard
S. velutina amazon (B. Burtt) Amazon version of S. velutina. (description from Cape Cod Violetry catalog)
S. velutina lite (species) Miniature version of S. velutina. (description from Cape Cod Violetry catalog)
S. confusa - I can't take credit for the excellent health of this plant shown above. When this scan was taken, I had just received the plant from Pat at PlantsOnPurpose and it is in beautiful condition. I hope to keep it that way.
S. grandifolia # 299 - this plant would not fully fit on my scanner, it is 14 " in diameter, is very easy to grow and blooms almost continually.
S. grotei leaf
S. ionantha
S. intermedia
S. orbicularis (I have let this one grow as a multi-crown plant)
S. orbicularis var. purpurea leaf
S. pendula
S. robterson (Photo courtesy of Denise Showalter)
S. velutina
I grow a few varieties in large terrarium bowls. These are difficult to scan, but an example is below and I will post better photographs when I have them. The terrarium environment is beneficial to the species plants that really enjoy the added humidity of the closed environment.
S. orbicularis in terrarium
Species blossoms
Saintpaulia grandifolia #299, Saintpaulia ionantha, Saintpaulia confusa
** taken from a letter written by the Baron's father to Curtis's Botanical Magazine, as quoted in Helen Van Pelt Wilson's "African-Violet Book"