African Violets,

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African Violets, Saintpaulia ionantha Scientific Name: Saintpaulia ionantha Angiosperm, Phylum Thacheophyta, Family Gesneriaceae Dicot Flowers: Complete. The flowers have both male and female reproductive organs and can produce with both pollen and seeds. The female organs are called the pistils, and contain the ovaries, style, and stigma, which will eventually hold seeds. The male organs are known as the stamen, which include the filament, and anther. The anthers are the large yellow sacs and contain the pollen. The flower can pollenate itself if pollen from the stamen falls down to the pistils or is brushed on to the stigma from a bee or other insect. Flowers can come in pinks, purples, whites, or a mix of colors. The petals can be smooth edged or ruffled. The flowers grow in clusters of 3 to 10. ( Haley) (Ripley) Leaves are round to oval, fleshy with a velvet like texture. Here are a few close up pictures of one of my African Violets. You can see the leaves, the buds, and the anthers (in the opened flower). You can also clearly see the sepals on the new buds. The African violet can be propagated by placing a whole leaf in soil covering the leaf only about one third of the way up. Once planted treat it the same as the parent plant by keeping it watered and in indirect sunlight. Works Cited "African violet". Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica Online. Encyclopædia Britannica Inc. 2012. Web. 28 Apr. 2012 . Haley/Blessington,Trissa. ”The General Horticulture Laboratory.” TAMU.edu. Web. 29 April 2012. Ripley, Robin. “Easy Plant Propagation: African Violets.” Blog Studio. 02 Feb. 2008. Web. 29 April

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