3138 



SELAGINELLA 



SELAGINELLA 



Easily recognized by the production of two kinds of 

 spores powdery microspores from which the male pro- 

 thallus arises and larger microspores produced 4 in a 

 sporangium just within the axil of the terminal Ivs. of 

 the st. which often form a 4-angled spike. In all our 

 ult. species the Ivs. are in 4 ranks, the 2 upper smaller 

 and pressed against the St., giving it a flattened appear- 

 ance. Selaginellas are graceful fern-like greenhouse 

 plants, often known to gardeners as lycopodiums. The 

 botany of the genus is in an uncertain state, both as to 

 nomenclature, and the limits of species. They are 

 plants of the Pteridophyta or fern allies. 



Selaginellas are favorite plants in every good con- 

 servatory, being greatly admired for their feathery 

 moss-like foliage. They have various shades of green, 

 and some of them are remarkable for metallic and iri- 

 descent tints, especially bronze and bluish colors, the 

 latter being very unusual among plants in general. S. 

 Willdenovii is a very choice large-growing species of 

 the bronze and blue class. Another is S. uncinata, 

 often called "rainbow moss." Selaginellas are often 

 grown for their own sake as specimen plants, but they 

 are also very commonly used as edging for greenhouse 

 beds, for covering unsightly spots under the benches, 

 and for hiding the surface soil of large tubs, orchid pots, 

 and the like. (See Fig. 3598.) They are also delightful 

 subjects for table decoration when grown in pans or 

 jardinieres. For this purpose a well-grown selaginella 

 should be a dense compact mass of fluffy and feathery 

 green, not a weak thin straggling plant, as compared 

 in Figs. 3599 and 3600. Selaginellas are also employed 

 in bouquets of flowers, fronds being used for "green" 

 instead of asparagus or fern. Occasionally a fancier of 

 the more difficult species grows a large specimen in a 

 Wardian case for exhibition. In general, Selaginellas 

 are of easy culture. As a rule they prefer shade and 

 moisture and are somewhat tender in foliage compared 

 with some of the commonest of commercial ferns. S. 

 denticulata, S. Kraussiana, S. Martensii, and some other 



3598. A selaginella used to cover the soil of an orchid pot. 

 S. denticulata. (X}i) 



commercial favorites may be rapidly propagated with- 

 out any preliminary treatment in the cutting-bench. 

 Cuttings of these species about an inch and a half long 

 may be inserted directly into small pots of light sandy 

 soil, placed in a shady position. Syringe them lightly 

 three or four times a day for a week, at the end of which 

 time they will take root. They will soon grow into 

 salable plants. The popular S. Emmeliana, which is 

 generally considered by florists a variety of S. cuspidata, 

 requires different treatment. It is much slower and 



sometimes requires about nine months from the mak- 

 ing of cuttings until the young plants are ready for pot- 

 ting. Fill regular fern-boxes with fern soil, adding one 

 part in five of sand, and press firmly. Choose mature 

 fronds of the S. Emmeliana, cut them into pieces half an 

 inch long, scatter thinly over surface of soil, and put 

 just enough finely screened soil on top of the cuttings 

 to attach some small portion of them to the soil. Water 

 thoroughly, cover with glass, and place in a temperature 

 of 70 F. In this condition they will soon form roots 

 and little plants at almost every joint. When sufficiently 

 large they should be separated and transplanted singly 

 an inch apart into boxes, where they may be left until 

 large enough to be potted. The following list of sela- 

 ginellas for special and general purposes is not designed 

 to be complete, but merely suggestive. For commercial 

 purposes, S. denticulata, S. Kraussiana, S. Martensii, 

 and S. Emmeliana; for carpeting the soil, S. denticulata; 

 for table decoration, S. Emmeliana and S. Martensii; 

 for cutting, the commercial kinds; for veranda-boxes, 

 S. Braunii; for bronze and blue colors, S. Willdenovii 

 and S. uncinata; for specimen plants and exhibitions, 

 S. Braunii, S. Lyallii, S. viticulosa, S. Wallichii, and 

 S. Willdenovii. Also the following, which are generally 

 considered more difficult subjects: S. atroviridis, S. 

 hsematodes, and S. molliceps; for curiosity, S. serpens 

 and S. lepidophylla. The curiosities of the genus call 

 for special mention. S. serpens is remarkable for its 

 changes of color during the day. In the morning the 

 foliage is bright green; during the day it gradually 

 becomes paler as though bleached by the light; toward 

 night it resumes its lively green hue again. For S. 

 lepidophylla, see Resurrection Plants. The following 

 species also deserve a few running notes: S. Braunii is 

 an old favorite which is often incorrectly labelled S. 

 Willdenovii in collections. Its branches, or "foliage" 

 in the popular sense, are exceptionally tough and wiry 

 for the genus. Variegated forms appear in AS. Marten- 

 sii, S. Kraussiana, and S. involvens, the last-named spe- 

 cies being prolific in singular forms. S. viticulosa is 

 better adapted for use as a pot-plant than for ming- 

 ling in a fernery, because of its strong-growing erect 

 fern-like habit. The branchlets are thrown up from 

 creeping stems and do not root readily, so that this 

 species is usually propagated by division or spores. 

 (W. H. Taplin and N. N. Bruckner.) 



INDEX. 



KEY TO THE SPECIES. 



Lvs. all similar, many - ranked: 



native species 



Lvs. 4-ranked, of two sorts, forming 

 an upper and a lower plane: 

 mostly hothouse exotics. 

 B. Foliage of the spikes uniform. 



c. Main st. decumbent, usually root- 

 ing throughout. 



D. Plants perennial: hs. firm. 

 E. Sts. continuous, i. e., with- 

 out joints. 



1. rupestris 



