FLORISTS' PUBLISHING CO., S20-S3S Caxton Building, CHICAGO. 



Vol. IV. 



CHICAGO AND NEW YORK, OCTOBER J 9, 1899. 



No. 99. 



SELAGINELLAS. 



Among the large number of species 

 (over 300 in all) of the selaginellas 

 there are comparatively few that are 

 used in the trade, notwithstanding the 

 fact that there are several of the spe- 

 cies easily procurable and readily 

 grown into very attractive pot plants. 

 It is true that selaginellas in general 



species are very tough and wiry, the 

 leaves small and deep green in color, 

 and it not only forms a very pretty 

 plant in a 4 or 5-inch pot, but is also 

 well adapted for growing into a large 

 exhibition specimen, or to be used 

 among foliage plants in a veranda box, 

 the branches of this plant often reach- 

 ing a height of eighteen inches or 

 more. 



Selaginella Cuspidata. 



prefer moisture and shade, and in con- 

 sequence are somewhat tender in fo- 

 liage, but this rule does not hold good 

 in all cases, some of the species bear- 

 ing exposure fully as well as many of 

 the commercial species of ferns. 



An example of this is found in S. 

 Braunii, a Chinese species that has 

 been long in cultivation, and that is 

 frequently, though incorrectly labelled 

 S. WiJldenovi. The branches of this 



S. Martensii is another well-known 

 and deserving species, the flat branch- 

 lets of which are quite effective among 

 the plants in a table fernery. This 

 species is very easy to increase by 

 means of cuttings, these being potted 

 up at once in light sandy soil without 

 the preliminary treatment of the cut- 

 ting bed, and only require to be kept 

 moist and sheltered from too much 

 sun and air until they take root. 



This species has also provided us 

 with one of the best variegated forms 

 found among the selaginellas, namely, 

 S. Martensii var., the branchlets of 

 which are variably marked with white. 

 S. Martensii var. also roots readily 

 from cuttings, it being necessary, how- 

 ever, to select well-variegated pieces 

 in order to perpetuate the variegation. 



The freak of variegation is not con- 

 fined to S. Martensii, for it also ap- 

 pears in the common S. Kraussiana 

 var., and also in S. involvens, the lat- 

 ter being quite prolific in singular 

 forms. 



S. Kraussiana, also known as S. den- 

 ticulata. is perhaps the most familiar 

 example of this interesting family, 

 and is one of the most useful plants 

 we have for carpeting the surface of 

 the soil beneath other plants, or for 

 beautifying otherwise bare spaces be- 

 neath the benches of a conservatory. 



S. cuspidata is another useful spe- 

 cies, a plant of which is illustrated 

 herewith. It. will be readily noted that 

 this illustration bears some resem- 

 blance to S. Emiliana, a variety that 

 has been very largely grown for a few 

 years past for filling table ferneries, 

 and the explanation of this is found 

 in the fact that S. Bmiliana is simply 

 a form of S. cuspidata. Cuttings of 

 this species soon take root in sand or 

 sandy soil, and become compact, tuft- 

 ed little plants in a few months when 

 grown in an ordinary fern house. 



S. viticulosa illustrates another form 

 of growth that we find in this diverse 

 family, this species being better 

 adapted for use as a pot plant than 

 to be mingled in a fernery, its branch- 

 lets being large and standing up like 

 the fronds of a fern. These branchlets 

 are thrown up from creeping stems, 

 and do not root readily, consequently 

 the propagation of this plant usually 

 depends upon division, or from spores. 

 A good idea of this handsome species 

 may be had from the accompanying 

 photograph. 



S. serpens is a singular member of 

 this family that is quite common in 



