about 450 species. 
= sub-tropical regions, and extendi 
392 
THE DICTIONARY OF GARDENING, 
en eee 
ust. l. one or two, narrow, channelled, short and beers 
ee Aiea tan din. to 6in. long, tufted, rigid. ony (Britain). 
; This is similar to S riparius in appearance. (Sy. En. B. 1594.) 
SYN. Isolepis setacea. 
S. Tabernæmontani zebrina (Tabernæmontana-like, striped) 
Banded Rush. 1, erect, terete, transversely banded with white 
and green, generally in nearly equal zones of about half an inch 
deep. The appearance suggested by a TOR. to of = stems is 
that of a cluster of porcupine quills. Japan, 
about 1881. Syn. Juncus zebrinus (I. H. n. $., 3). a The green- 
stemmed type is found in all temperate climates. 
SCISSORS. Scissors are used by gardeners chiefly 
for thinning the berries in bunches of grapes, and by 
flower-workers for cutting stems of flowers, &c., when 
making buttonhole and other bouquets. For this latter 
purpose the Scissors used, should have short, strong 
blades, and sharp points. Grape Scissors have long 
blades, tapering to a point, which should not be too 
sharp, or there is a danger, when using them, of 
pricking the berries that are to remain. Scissors may 
be procured in several sizes: a medium size, rather than 
either extreme, is found most generally usef FS 
 $CITAMINEZ. A natural order of usually peren- 
nial herbs, with creeping rhizomes, broadly dispersed over 
the warmer regions of the globe. Flowers hermaphrodite 
or rarely polygamous, irregular, naked or- bracteate, 
spicate, racemose, or panicled; perianth normally double, 
superior, the outer part calycine, the inner corolla-like, 
the segments variously connate, or one or other deficient ; 
ovary inferior, three, rarely one or two-celled; stamens 
sometimes five, equal, free, the sixth deficient or small, 
often only one perfect, and the rest changed into irre- 
gular, polymorphous, variously connate, petaloid stami- 
nodes; style terminal, elongated, undivided. Fruit 
crowned by the persistent calyx, or the whole perianth | 
deciduous, three-celled, or by abortion one or two-celled, 
sometimes fleshy and indehiscent, sometimes loculidally 
_three-valved; seeds one or many. Leaves variously dis- 
posed, the petiole usually forming a sheath, the blade 
sessile or petiolate above the sheath, often large. Arrow- 
root, the starch derived from the rhizomes of Maranta 
arundinacea, is recommended for its digestibility. “ The 
= root of ginger (Zingiber officinale) . . . . is considered in 
India to be anti-scorbutic and snhrodiaina — The 
fruits of Amomum, called Cardamoms, are employed as a 
condiment, and esteemed for their stomachic qualities. 
. The Banana and Plantain fruits (Musa paradisiaca 
and M. sapientum) afford an agreeable, sweet, farinaceous 
food, and a refreshing drink” (Decaisne and Le Maoiit). 
Several other species are of great economic value. Can- 
nee, Marantew, Musee, and Zingiberee, are regarded by 
the authors of the “ Genera Plantarum” as tribes of 
Scitaminee. The order embraces thirty-six genera and 
Among well-known examples the 
following may be cited: Alpinia, Canna, Curcuma, Hedy- 
chium, Maranta, Musa, ‘and Zingiber. 
SCIUROIDEOUS. Like a squirrel’s tail. 
SCLAREA. Included under Salvia (which see). 
SCLERANTHUS (from skleros, hard, and anthos, a 
flower; alluding to the indurated perianth), Knawel. 
ORD. Illecebracee. A genus comprising about ten species 
of small, weedy herbs, distributed throughout Europe, 
East Asia, Africa, Australia, and New Zealand. S. annuis, 
and its variety biennis, and S. perennis, are British plants. 
SCLERIA (from skleria, hardness; alluding to the 
indurated fruit), Nut Rush. ORD. Cyperacee. A large 
_ genus (about 100 species) of stove, greenhouse, or hardy, 
“dwarf or tall herbs, broadly dispersed over tropical and 
far as temperate 
North America. Flowers unisexual ; "Spikelets small, often 
fascicled ; hypogynons bristles none; bracts at the base 
eyme or panicle leafy. Leaves sometimes grass- 
flaccid, — at broad, and — 
vinter. 
Scleria—continued. 
Of the few species introduced, two examples’ are here 
described. Both are hardy. ‘or culture, see Cyperus. 
S. ciliata (hair-fringed). A., sterile spikes e, — 
clusters terminal; sheaths pubescent June ust. l two, 
narrow-linear, rigid, smooth, or with — — airs on the 
margins. Culms slender, ea te to 2ft. high, smooth below, 
— fringed on the angl bove. South United States, 
1 
S. verticillata (whorled). fl., spikes small; clusters four to six, 
erect, scattered near the summit of the culm, forming an inter- 
rupted spike. June and July. l narrow-linear or filiform, 
smooth. Culms very slender, 6in. to 12in. high, smooth. North 
America, 1825. 
SCLEROGEN. “The hard matter deposited by 
some plants in the interior of their cells, as in~those 
_ forming the shell of the walnut’? (Lindley). N 
| SCLEROID. Hard. 
-SCLFRONEMA, A synonym of Keronema (which 
see). 
SCLEROPTERIS. A synonym of Cirrhza (which 
see). 
SCLEROTHAMNUS (from skleros, hard, and 
thamnos, a shrub; alluding to the rigid aspect of the 
bush). Orp. Leguminose. A monotypic genus, now 
included, by Bentham, under Eutawia. The species is a 
very ornamental, glabrous, divaricate or diffuse, green- 
house, evergreen shrub. For culture, see Chorizema. 
S. microphyllus (small-leaved). = jl. yellow, small, on axillary 
pedicels ; calyx having acute or acuminate lobes; — jin. 
or more reg petals shorter, the keel deeply coloured. May. 
l. usually elliptic-oblong or linear, one to three lines long, rigid, 
concaye, obtuse or almost acute. Branches rigid, sometimes 
short and ending in slender spines, sometimes elongated, sleuder, 
and erect. Australia, 1803. The proper name of this shrub is 
Eutazia empetrifolia, 
SCLEFOTIA (from skleros, hard). Small, hard 
bodies, produced by many Fungi belonging to various 
groups. ‘They exhibit variations in size, colour, and form, 
but agree in being made up of very closely interwoven 
mycelium. The outer layer of the Sclerotium is pecu- 
liarly dense, and is formed of hyphæ so adherent to 
one suobher, and with so many cross walls, as to 
resemble true parenchyma in appearance. Sclerotia vary 
considerably in size, from the minute S. cepevorum 
(which gives rise to Mucor subtilissimus on Onions), 
resembling a grain of gunpowder, to the size of a large 
pea in the Sclerotia of some Agaries. They are usually 
451. SCLEROTIUM OF PEZIZA POSTUMA (natural size), with 
two Cups on slender stalks. 
round or oval (see Fig. 451), but may be irregularly 
lobed or elongated, as in Ergot of Rye. Many are 
black, or nearly so; others are brown, dull yellow, or 
white. By their texture, they are fitted to withstand 
extremes of temperature, and of LEN or moisture, 
better than ordinary mycelium; and it is by means — 
of them that many 
Fig. 
A considerable number of Sclerotia mak eir 
appearance only on dead parts of plants in a s of 
decay, e.g., the very common S: semen (like a small 
pea, at first white, t chan to black), which 
produces Typhula; or in dung, e. J tercora 
from which Coprinus stercorariųs is K 
A 
Fungi are preserved through Gey i 
3 
Sih al 
