38 Helag hie lias, 



Selaginellas. 



BY A. VEITCH, NEW HAVEN, CONN. 



IF any apology is needed for the following remarks on Selaginellas, it is the fact 

 that after repeated efforts to find something like a correct technical description of 

 the species herein enumerated, as well as several others, I have, with all the helps 

 at hand, very signally failed to do so. True it is, we have a list of their names, 

 some account of their habits and native countries in the latest edition of " Paxton's 

 Botanical Dictionary" — a fuller description of half a dozen or so in "Gray's Field 

 and Grarden Botany," and a very interesting popular account of many more, by Mr. 

 Williams, in his book on " Ferns and Lycopods." But withal, there seems to be a 

 lack of information abroad as regards the distinguishing characteristics of so many 

 now in cultivation, that even venders find it hard to know whether they receive what 

 they order in making purchases, or fill their own orders correctly. 



I have no other motive for stating this fact, than simply the desire to remedy what 

 may seem an unavoidable evil, but one which none the less leads to unpleasant con- 

 sequences. 



One remedy for this state of things would, undoubtedly, be a work of reference, 

 wherein is stated all that is necessay to enable interested parties to distinguish one 

 species from another, and to know just what they have, and what they have not. 



Of course any effort of mine to supply this want could only be partially successful, 

 not having had the necessary training to grasp the entire subject, and present it in 

 such befitting terms as a professional Botanist could. Yet still, we believe in the 

 ada<Te, " better half a loaf than no bread," and so have ventured to describe from 

 living specimens those that we best know, hoping it may prove to be the forerunner 

 of something more accurate and full. 



Section 1st. Stems Sending out Rootlets, 



S. apus. (Syn. Lye. apoduni.) Stems spreading one to two inches high, some- 

 times forming close patches, delicate ; leaves nearly one-eighth of an inch long, 

 spreading horizontally, obliquely ovate-elliptical, serrulate ; intermediate ones half as 

 large, nearly erect and acutely pointed, A native species, not rare, and quite inte- 

 resting in cultivation. 



S. densa. (Syn. Lye. densum.) Said by some to be the same as the last, and 

 perhaps not greatly different, yet sufficiently so to constitute it a well marked variety. 

 Large leaves, less spreading and rounded ; smaller ones, less in proportion and more 

 erect. The whole plant much more delicate, and growing in denser tufts. N. Hol- 

 and. 



S. delicatissima. (Syn, macrophylla.) Stems slender and trailing, 8-12 in, long, 

 rooting nearly their whole length, irregularly branched ; leaves elliptical, serrulate, 

 with long cilia at the base ; smaller ones, ovate, pointed. Columbia. ^ 



