FERNERIES. 



407 



MARSILEAS. 



I have had two species of Marsileas in my fernery, — M. quadrifolia, 

 a South European plant, and M. macropus, the Nardoo plant (fig. 929) 

 of the Australian explorers. Both require to be grown in a pan of 

 water, and flourish well during the summer, but there is some difficulty 

 in keeping them during the winter. 



Fig. 930. — Selaginella denticulata. 



Fig. 931. — S. Lyallii. 



Fig. gzg. — Nardoo plant. 



SELAGINELLAS. 



No fern-house can possibly be considered perfect without Selagi- 

 nellas. I have gathered the common 5. denticulata (fig. 930) on both 

 sides of the Alps, and it lives through the hardest winters in my 

 outdoor fernery. 



It affords us green foliage where we desire it, and is most easy of 

 cultivation, as it roots from the shoots as it grows. The 5. brasiliensis 

 is a much smaller species, and 5. apoda is a very dense-growing 

 one. The S. casta is a most lovely species, from China, but it dies 

 down in winter : its colour is a fine bluish green. Another climbing 

 species, S. casta arborea, which is of more robust habit, is also exqui- 

 sitely beautiful when well grown. It also is apt to die in winter time: 

 The 5. serpens is remarkable from changing the tint of its colour. 

 6". Schottii is a coarse-growing species, but 5". stolonifera is a beautiful 

 one, especially its white variety, and 5. umbrosa and S. densa 

 are thicker-growing species. S. Lyallii (fig. 931) is a desirable plant 



