SELAGINELLA. 



409 



IV. Sarmentos^s (Sar-men-tcZ-sffi). This series is formed of persistent 

 species with elongated stems, branched nearly or quite to the base. These 

 characters are well shown in the Polynesian S. gracilis, the Asiatic 

 S. inoequalifolia, and the East Indian S. Wallichii. 



V. Scandentes (Scan-den'-tes). Three species only are included in this 

 series, and these are persistent, with wide -climbing, continuous steins. 

 S. Willdenovii (S. ccesia arborea of gardens) furnishes the best illustration in 

 this case. 



VI. Catjxescentes (Cau-les-cen'-tes). The plants comprised in this 

 series are persistent species with upright stems, simple in the lower part, 

 decompound and frond-like upwards, with the root-fibres confined to the base ; 

 as seen in the Asiatic S. caulescens, in the African S. Vogelii (S. africana of 

 gardens), and in the American S. hcematodes. 



As may be seen from the foregoing list, the first and second series are 

 divided in their turn into groups according to their foliage being fugacious or 

 persistent, and their stems continuous or articulated, each group in Baker's work 

 showing the number of known species peculiar to separate habitats, which 

 are divided into African, American, Asiatic, Australian, and European. The 

 above arrangement is very comprehensive, and anyone particularly interested 

 in this beautiful genus cannot do better than refer, for further and more 

 detailed particulars, to Baker's " Handbook of the Fern- Allies." The only 

 drawback in connection with this work — and it is a serious one in the case of 

 gardeners— consists in Baker's nomenclature and the gardeners' nomenclature 

 being much at variance. The names under which certain old species have 

 long been known by gardeners — such as S. africana, S. cassia arborea, 

 S. confer ta, S. denticulata, S. Willdenovii, which have individually become 

 S. Vogelii, S. Willdenovii, S. canaliculata, S. Kraussiana, and S. Braunii— 

 are, for the most part, simply garden names adopted and consecrated by 

 usage ; but as we have been unable to refer these to any authorities, we have 

 deemed it more in accordance with the plan of our work to adopt or retain 

 the names having for authorities such specialists as Baker, Spring, &c, and 

 under which these plants have for upwards of twenty years been known in 

 our botanic gardens and herbaria. However, with a view to facilitating the 

 adoption of these names by the general public and cultivators, we give the 

 garden names in their proper alphabetical order. 



