410 



HENDERSON'S HANDBOOK OF PLANTS 



SER 



more than three hundred feet high, and im- 

 parts to the woods a peculiar character ; as 

 Douglas said, " Something that plainly shows 

 Ave are not in Europe." This species fur- 

 nishes most of the lumber used in house- 

 building, cabinet work, and for various other 

 work in which pine is employed east of the 

 Rocky Mountains. These trees have been 

 introduced into our nurseries, and are found 

 to be hardy around New York, though no such 

 extraordinary dimensions are ever likely to 

 be obtained as in their native habitat. Syn. 

 Wellingtonia. 



Sera'pias. Name derived from the Egyptian 

 God, Serapis. Nat. Ord. Orchidaceo}. 



A small genus of hardy terrestrial Orchids, 

 natives of the Mediterranean region. There 

 are Ave or six species, all very interesting 

 plants, and generally included in all collec- 

 tions of hardy Orchids. 



Sereno'a. Saw Palmetto. Named in honor of 

 Sereno Watson, of Cambridge, Mass., a distin- 

 guished botanist. Nat. Ord. PalmacecB. 



S. serrulata, the only species, is a dwarf, 

 unarmed tufted Palm, a native of the Southern 

 States, and closely allied to Sabal. It is a 

 very handsome species either for the green- 

 house or for summer decoration. Syn. Sabal 

 serrulata. 



Serial or Seriate. Disposed in rows or series. 



Seiiceus. Silky ; covered with close, soft, 

 straight pubescence. 



Serico'graphis. From serikos, silk, and grapho, 

 to write. Nat. Ord. Acanthacece. 



This genus consists of a few species of 

 under-shrubs and herbaceous evergreens. S. 

 Ghiesbreghtiana is a handsome winter-flower- 

 ing plant, requiring the same treatment as 

 the Ruellia. This genus is now included un- 

 der Jacobinia by some authors. 



Seri'nga. A popular name for the Philadelphiis 

 or Mock Orange. 



Seri'ngia. Named in honor of N. C. Seringe, 

 Director of the Botanical Garden at Lyons, 

 1776-1858. Nat. Ord. Sterculiacem. 



S. platyphylla, the only described species, is 

 an interesting, green-house, evergreen shrub, 

 with white flowers in dense terminal cymes. 

 The branches are loosely whitish or rusty 

 tomentose. It was introduced from Australia 

 in 1822, and is propagated by cuttings of the 

 young wood. Syn. LaHiopetalum arborescens. 



Seri'ssa. A name altered from the okl Greek 

 Seris, used by Dioscorides. Nat. Ord. Rubia- 

 cem. 



S. fcEtida, the only species, is a pretty, green- 

 house, branched shrub, with white axillary 

 or terminal flowers. Thei'e is a variety with 

 double flowers (a rare occurrence in this or- 

 der), and another with gold-margined leaves. 

 Propagated by cuttings. A native of India, 

 China, Japan, etc. ; sometimes cultivated un- 

 der the name of Lycium Japonicum. 



Serotinus. Comparatively late. 



Serpent's Beard. Ophiopogon Japonicus. 



Serpent "Withe. A common name for Aristo- 

 lochia odoratissima. 



Serradilla. The common name for OrnUhopus 

 8ativu8, which see. 



Serrate. Having sharp, straight-edged teeth, 

 pointing to the apex. When these teeth are 



SES 



themselves serrate, they are biaerrate or 

 dupUcato-serrate. 



Serra'tula. Saw-wort. From serrula, a little 

 saw ; alluding to the serrated foliage. Nat. 

 Ord. Compositaz. 



A large genus of hai'dy, perennial herbs, na- 

 tives of Europe, North Africa and Asia, all 

 more or less of a Thistle-like aspect and not 

 suitable for general culture. 



Serrulate. Serrate, with very small or fine 

 teeth. 



Serru'ria. Named in honor of Dr. James Serru- 

 rier, Professor of Botany at Utrecht. Nat. 

 Ord. Proteaceoe. 



A genus of desirable, densely leafy shrubs 

 peculiar to South Africa. Of this showy and 

 desirable genus over fifty species have been 

 described, nearly half of which are in cultiva- 

 tif)n. They are closely allied to Protea and 

 require the same general treatment. 



Service Berry. See Amelanchier. 



Service Tree. See Pyrus. 



Se'samum. Bene Plant. From Sesamon, the 

 old Greek name used by Hippocrates. Nat. 

 Ord. Pedaliacem. 



S. orientate, a native of the East Indies, is 

 the Bene Plant of our gardens and of domestic 

 medicine, being used with excellent results in 

 sevei-e cases of dysentery. It is now grown for 

 that purpose in the vicinity of New York and 

 other large cities. A dozen leaves put in a 

 tumbler of water quickly give out a mucilagi- 

 nous, starch-like substance, in which condi- 

 tion it can be freely used. Cultivation, the 

 same as for other tender annuals ; that is, by 

 sowing in March in a hot-bed, if wanted early, 

 or in the open border in May for general crop. 

 It is a tender annual, with flowers of a whitish 

 color, shaped somewhat like those of the 

 Foxglove, and produced in loose terminal 

 spikes. In the Southern States and in Africa 

 this species was, and is yet to some extent, 

 considerably grown for the oil, called Gingelly 

 Oil, the seed yields, which oil will keep many 

 years without acquiring any rancid taste or 

 smell. When first made it is quite heating 

 and is used as a stimulant ; but, after two or 

 three years, it becomes quite mild, and is used 

 as a salad oil. The seeds are also used by 

 the negroes for food, which they prepare in 

 various ways. In Japan the oil is used as we 

 use butter in cooking. 



Sesba'nia. From sesban, the Arabic name of 

 S. ^gyptiaca. Nat. Ord. LeguminoscB. 



A small genus of interesting tropical and 

 sub-tropical annuals, biennials and shrubs, 

 producing fine flowers, mostly yellow, the 

 entire summer. A. macrocMrpa, a native of 

 Louisiana, is one of the most showy species, 

 and useful for very dry, warm situations. 



Se'seli. Meadow Saxifrage. The Greek name 

 of an umbelliferous plant. Nat. Ord. Umbel- 

 lifercB. 



A genus of about forty species, nearly all 

 natives of the north temperate regions. <S'. 

 gummiferum, the only species worthy of atten- 

 tion, is a handsome silvery plant with elegantly 

 divided leaves of a peculiarly pleasing glaucous 

 or almost silvery tone. It is a biennial, and 

 thrives best on a dry, sunny bank, or raise<l 

 border. It was introduced to cultivation from 

 Tauria in 1804, and is readily increased by 

 seeds. 



