HENDERSON'S HANDBOOK OF PLANTS. 



SEN 



the receptacle is naked, and resembles a bald 

 head. Linn. Syngenesia-Superflna. Nat. Ord. 

 Agteraceoe. 



This is a large genus of varied character, some 

 of which are of an ornamental character. 8. ele- 

 </ans, a native of the Cape of Good Hope, was 

 introduced about 1700, and has long been a fa- 

 vorite in cottage gardens under the name of Ja- 

 cobcea. It is properly an annual, though easily 

 kept as a perennial, and made to assume almost 

 a shrubby appearance. There are several varie- 

 ties of the species, as the double white, double 

 purple, or double red, all of which are pretty, 

 and useful for their long-continued flowering. 

 S. vul'jaris, the Groundsel of British gardens, is 

 there one of the most troublesome weeds. It 

 has been introduced here by seeds in the soil of 

 imported plants; but, fortunately, does not in- 

 crease freely with us. There are several spe- 

 cies indigenous to this country, but all mere 

 weeds. 



Senna. See Cassia. 



Sensitive Brier. See Schrankia. 



Sensitive Fern. See Onoclea sensibilis. 



Sensitive Plant. See Mimosa pudica. 



Sequoia. The generic name is a supposed modi- 

 fication of See-qua-yah, the name of a celebrated 

 Cherokee chief. Linn. Moncecia-Octandria. Nat. 

 Ord. Coniferce. 



The two species that at present constitute 

 this genus are gigantic evergreen trees, natives 

 of California. 8. gigantea is the far-famed Mam- 

 moth Tree, which was discovered by an Ameri- 

 can hunting party in the Sierra Nevada, Upper 

 California, in 1850. The so-called Mammoth 

 Grove is in Calaveras. This was the first dis- 

 covery; and though found in various parts, 

 none have attained the height of those the as- 

 tonished hunters first beheld. "The tallest 

 tree of the Mammoth Grove, stripped of its bark 

 for the purpose of exhibition, was 337 feet high, 

 and at the base was 90 feet in circumference. 

 The greatest dimensions seems to have been at- 

 tained by a tree which was found broken at a 

 height of 300 feet, and which measured at that 

 place eighteen feet in diameter. Considering 

 it was one hundred and twelve feet in circum- 

 ference at the base, and tapered regularly to the 

 point where broken, it is calculated to have 

 been, when in the fullness of its growth, four 

 hundred and fifty feet high. By actual count- 

 ing of the concentric rings, this tree was found 

 to have been 1,100 years old." 8. sempervirens 

 is the Redwood of the timber trade, and extends 

 from Upper California to Nutka Sound. It at- 

 tains gigantic dimensions, being frequently 

 more than three hundred feet high, and imparts 

 to the woods a peculiar character; as Douglas 

 said, '-Something that plainly shows we are not 

 in Europe." This species furnishes 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 nurs- 

 eries, and are found to be hardy around New 

 York, though no such extraordinary dimensions 

 are ever likely to be attained as in their native 

 habitat. 



Sericographis. From serikos, silk, and grapho, 

 to write. Linn. Didynamia-Angiospermia. Nat. 

 Ord . AcanihacecK. 



This genus consists of a few species of under- 

 shrubs and herbaceous evergreens. >'. (;/<;*- 

 breghtiann is a handsome winter-flowering plant, 

 requiring the same treatment as the Kuellia. 



SHE 



Service Berry. See Amelanchier. 



Service Tree. See Pyrus. 



Sesamum. Bene Plant. From sempsen, the 

 Egyptian name of one of the species. Linn. 

 Didy/imi<t-A,j!<>spermia. Nat. Ord. Pedaliacece. 

 8. Orientate, a native of the East Indies, is the 

 Bene Plant of our gardens, and of domestic 

 medicine, being used with excellent results in 

 severe 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 tum- 

 bler of water quickly give out a mucilaginous, 

 starch-like substance, in which condition it can 

 be freely used. Cultivation the same as for other 

 tender annuals, that is, by so wing 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 some- 

 what 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 

 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. 



Setania. Bristly Fox-tail Grass. From seta, a 

 bristle; the involucrum is bristly. Linn. Trian- 

 dria-Digynia. Nat. Ord. Graminacece. 



An extensive genus of grasses, mostly annu- 

 als, and of but little interest. 



Shad-Bush. See Amelanchier. 



Shaddock. See Citrus decumana. 



Shallot. Allium Ascalonicum. The Shallot is a 

 native of Palestine, especially near the once fa- 

 mous city of Ascalon, whence its specific name. 

 It was first introduced into England in 1548, 

 and has ever since been cultivated to a consid- 

 erable extent, and used in the same manner as 

 the Onion. It is highly esteemed for pickles. 

 Several varieties have been noticed; the only 

 difference, however, seems to be in the size, 

 which may properly be attributed to cultiva- 

 tion, as it is largely upon this that the size de- 

 pends. Shallots are grown to a considerable 

 extent in the vicinity of New York. The bulbs 

 are planted one foot between the lines and six 

 inches between the plants, in October, and are 

 marketed in the green state the following May. 

 From the early maturing of the crop, they are 

 always very profitable, though grown to a much 

 less extent than Onions. Increased only by 

 division. 



Shamrock. While some say that this is Trifolium 

 repens, others assert that the true Shamrock is 

 Oxalis acetoselUt. The preponderance of opinion 

 is, however, that it is T. repens, (Clover.) The 

 Shamrock is the national emblem of Ireland. 



Sheep Berry. See Viburnum lentago. 



Sheep Laurel. See Kalmia angustifdia. 



Sheep's Scabious, See Jasione. 



Shepherd's Purse. Capsetta, one of our most 



common weeds. Introduced from Europe. 

 Shepherdia. Named after the late John Shepherd, 

 curator of the Botanic Garden of Liverpool. 

 Linn. Diwin-l'itrnmlnii. Nat. Ord. Elceagnacece. 

 A small genus of native shrubs, or low-grow- 

 ing trees, common on the banks of the Missouri 

 River. They are favorite shrubs on account of 

 their blooming very early in spring, and their 

 fine appearance in autumn, when their branches 



