202 



HENDERSON'S HANDBOOK OF PLANTS. 



SAN 



natives of Asia, Australia, and the Pacific Is- 

 lands. The flowers of S. album, the true Sandal- 

 wood are small, and produced in spikes or ra- 

 cemes ; but the chief value of the plant consists 

 in the fragrance of the wood, which is so great 

 that the wood is burned for incense, and is said 

 to be destructive to all noxious insects. The 

 same species grown under glass with artificial 

 heat, has very little of the fragrance for which 

 the species is remarkable. 



Santolina. Lavender Cotton. From sanctus, 

 holy, and limm, flax ; in allusion to its medi- 

 cinal qualities. Linn. Syngenesia-^qualis. Nat. 

 Ord. Asteracftv. 



A genus of dwarf evergreen shrubs, natives of 

 the south of Europe. Some of the species are 

 valuable bedding plants, and particularly useful 

 in ribbon borders, contrasting finely with plants 

 of dark foliage. Propagated from cuttings. 



Sanvitalia. Derivation unknown ; probably a 

 commemorative name. Linn. Syngenesia-Super- 

 fiua. Nat. Ord. AsteracerK. 



S. procitmbens is a beautiful little Mexican an- 

 nual, well adapted, from its dwarf and compact 

 habit of growth, for covering a bed in a flower- 

 garden. The flowers are large in proportion to 

 the size of the plant, and they are of a rich 

 brown and yellow. It is quite hardy, and only 

 requires sowing in March or April in the open 

 border. Introduced in 1798. 



Saponaria. Soapwort, Bouncing Bet. From 

 sapo, soap ; the bruised leaves of S. officinalis 

 form a lather like soap, when agitated in water. 

 Linn. Decandria-Digynia. Nat. Ord. Caryophyl- 

 lacece. 



A genus of hardy annuals and herbaceous 

 perennials, mostly natives of Europe. One 

 species, S. ocymoides, deserves, for its neat hab- 

 it, and the profusion with which it bears its 

 pretty pink flowers in summer, to be cultivated 

 in every garden. It is a trailing plant, and 

 therefore suitable for rock-work, the front of the 

 borders, or for small beds ; and being at the 

 same time quite hardy, and not particular as to 

 soil or situation, it is well adapted for suburban 

 gardens. The double variety of S. officinalis is 

 also a showy plant, of the easiest management, 

 and continues to produce its numerous flesh- 

 colored flowers from June to November. This 

 species has become naturalized, until, notwith- 

 standing its beauty, it has in some places be- 

 come troublesome as a weed. 



Sarcanthus. From sarx, flesh, and anthos, a 

 flower ; in allusion to the fleshiness of the flow- 

 ers. Linn. (Jynandria-Monandria. Nat. Ord. 

 Orchidat-ea'. 



A genus of epiphytal Orchids, natives of Chi- 

 na and the East Indies. The flowers are mostly 

 small, but rather showy. S. erinaceus is a beau- 

 tiful species, with pink and white flowers ; lip 

 with purple markings. The flowers are pro- 

 duced freely on drooping spikes. There are 

 several species under cultivation. They succeed 

 best when grown in wooden baskets with sphag- 

 num moss. They require plenty of heat and 

 copious waterings. During their season of rest 

 they may be kept in a cool house, and given 

 but very little water. 



Sarcochilus. From sarx, flesh, and cheilos, a lip; in 

 allusion to the fleshy lip or labellum. Linn. Oy- 

 nandria-Monandria. Nat. Ord. Orchidacece. 



A genus of small epiphytal Orchids from Aus- 

 tralia and the East Indies. The flowers are 

 white, or white and yellow. The species are not 

 usually found in collections. 



SAT 



Sarcopodium. A small genus of Orchids, now 

 included in Bolbr.phyUum, which see. 



Sarmienta. Named after Mart. Sarmiento, a Span- 

 ish botanist. Linn. Dvindrw-Monogynia. Nat. 

 Ord. GesneracecK. 



S. repens, the only known representative of 

 this genus, is a dwarf-trailing Chilian herb, very 

 beautiful, and suitable for growing in baskets. 

 It has fleshy, oblong leaves, about an inch long, 

 and numerous drooping, tubular, axillary flow- 

 ers of a xight scarlet color. In all respects it 

 requires the same treatment as the Gesnera, and 

 is propagated in the same manner. Introduced 

 in 1862. 



Sarracenia. Side-saddle Flower, American Pitch- 

 er Plant. Named in honor of Dr. Sarrasin, a 

 French physician at Quebec. Linn. Polyandria- 

 Monogynia. Nat. Ord. Sarmceniacece. 



A small genus of curious and interesting 

 plants common in boggy situations from Maine 

 to Florida. S. purpurea is found in great num- 

 bers throughout the New England States, New 

 York, and New Jersey, S.flavannd 8. rubra being 

 confined to the Southern States. They have their 

 leaves folded spirally, in the manner of the Pitch- 

 er Plant, Nepenthes. They are of various heights, 

 some being from four to six inches Mgh, while 

 othera are nearly or quite two feet. They have 

 no proper leaf stems, but the foot stalk is 

 lengthened in some cases so as to serve the same 

 end. The flower scape is in all the species 

 longer than the leaves ; the flowers are globose, 

 nodding, colors purple, red, or yellow. The 

 curious leaves of these plants are often partly 

 filled with water and drowned insects, which 

 has given them a reputation for usefulness that 

 is to be taken with some grains of allowance. 

 The same may be said of the medicinal properties 

 claimed for them. 



Sarsaparilla. See Smilax, Sarza, etc. 



Sarsaparilla, False. See Aral'ui nudicaulis. 



Sassafras. The name is said to be a corruption 

 of the Spanish word for Saxifrage. Linn. En- 

 neandria-Monogynia. Nat. Ord.' Lauracece. 



S. officinale, the only known species, is com- 

 mon throughout the United States. In the more 

 , northern parts the tree is small, the diameter 

 rarely exceeding eight inches; but in the South- 

 ern States it attains a height of fifty feet, with a 

 diameter of trunk more than two feet. The Sas- 

 safras is well known by its aromatic, spicy bark, 

 which has stimulant and sudorific properties, 

 and is extensively used in medicine and confec- 

 tionery. The leaves are also used in the manu- 

 facture of " Home-made beer," and also in some 

 sections as a seasoning in sauces, while their mu- 

 cilaginous properties render them useful in 

 thickening soups. 



Satin-wood. A beautiful veneering wood of In- 

 dia, obtained from Chloroxylon Swietenia, which 



Satureia. Savory. 



labiate plants. Linn. Didyiwmut- 



From Ssattar, the Arabic 

 name for all labiate plants. Linn. 

 Oymnospermia. Nat. Ord. Lamiftcece. 



The Summer Savory, S. hortcnsis, is a hardy 

 annual, a native of the south of Europe, and has 

 been well-known in the kitchen garden for the 

 last three hundred years. Having escaped from 

 the garden, it has become naturalized in many 

 parts of this country, especially in Ohio and Il- 

 linois. The Winter Savory, /S. montana, is a 

 hardy evergreen shrub, growing about a foot 

 high, and very branching. It is a native of the 

 south of France, is easily cultivated, and hns all 

 the essential properties of the Summer Savory. 



