‘are better 
422 
THE DICTIONARY OF GARDENING, 
Sequoia—continued. 
grafted, All are almost indifferent as to soil. 
When seeds are to be had, they should be sown in a cold 
frame, in spring, and the seedlings transplanted, as soon 
as they are large enough to handle, to the open ground. 
hae, 
Fic. 476: YOUNG BRANCH OF SEQUOIA GIGANTEA. 
S. gigantea (sigantic).* Big-tree;, Mammoth-tree. l needle- 
shaped, spirally alternate, spreading, light green on young plants ; 
those on adult trees scale-formed, closely inlaid, rounded at back, 
concave above ; those on the branchlets much shorter, very close, 
and regularly imbricated ; those on the larger branches longer, 
— looser, decurrent at base, and tapering to an acute point. cones 
solitary on the ends of the branchlets, 2in, long, ovate, blunt. 
Branches horizontal, much divided; branches cylindrical, fre- 
quently mdulous, thickly leafy. 1853. See Figs. 476 and 477, 
YN. Wellingtonia gigantea (B. M. 4777-8; F. a. S. 892-3). 
Fic. 477. BRANCHLET OF SEQUOIA GIGANTEA, WITH CONE, 
Sequoia—continued. 
S. g. aurea (golden). This differs from the type only in the 
golden or yellowish colour of some of the smaller twigs. It 
is a pretty form when in good condition. ` 
S. g. pendula (pendulous).* Branches numerous, deflexed from 
their base, drooping regularly one over the other, so as to pro- 
duce an elegant, compact, conical plant. 1871. 
S. sempervirens (evergreen). * Californian Evergreen Redwood. 
f., males globular, solitary at the tips of the branchlets, on 
slender footstalks, thickly covered with small, scale-like leaves. 
l. on the lateral branches and branchlets linear, blunt, two-rowed, 
flat, alternate, straight, rarely falcate, shining, żin. to lin. long ; 
those on the main branches and terminal points of the flower- 
bearing branchlets very short, narrow, sharp-pointed, or scale- 
like, imbricated or closely spiral. cones solitary, terminal, 
sche’ or egg-shaped, lin. long ; scales cuneiform. Branches 
orizontally spreading, irregularly scattered alternately along 
the stem; branchlets very numerous, in two rows, frequently 
drooping. The leaves turn purplish-brown in winter. 
S. s. albo-spica (white-spiked). A form in which the tips of 
the young shoots are of a creamy-white colour. 
S. s. glauca (glaucous). J. linear, acute, jin. long, of a 
fine glaucous-blue tint, Eppes re below, either loosely imbri- 
cated or openly disposed round the branches. Branchlets very 
much narrower and slenderer than in the type. 
Fig. 478, FRUITING BRANCHLET OF SEQUOIA SEMPERVIRENS 
TAXIFOLIA. 
S. s. taxifolia (Yew-leaved). This variety only differs f 
type in having somewhat broader leaves See Fig. 478. ae 
SERANGIUM. A synonym of Monstera (which 
see). 
SERAPHYTA (from ser, a silkworm, and phyton, a 
plant; in allusion to some fancied islada Tade a 
the flower and the silkworm). ORD. Orchidee. A mono- 
typic genus. The species is a stove, epiphytal orchid, 
formerly included under Epi (which see for 
culture). . 
S. difusa (diffuse). fl. greenish-white, rather small, loosel 
racemose, pedicellate, forming a terminal panicle ; Sois roms 
petals equal, spreading; lip undivided, broadly cordate, the 
claw as long as the column. April. J. coriaceous, oblong or 
rather broad ; sheaths closely appressed. Stem leafy, sheathing, 
and scarcely fleshy at base. h: lft. to 2ft. West Indies, 1816. 
SYN. Epidendrum dijusum (B. M. 3665; L. B. C. 846). ` 
SERAPIAS (the old Greek name given by Dios- 
corides to one of the Orchids, and derived from 
the Egyptian deity Serapis). Syn. Helleborine. ORD. 
Orchidee. A small genus (four or five species) of hardy, 
terrestrial orchids, natives of the Mediterranean region, 
