SELAGINELLA. 



421 



S. helvetica— hel-ve'-tic-a (Swiss), Link. 



This, the Lycopodium helveticum of Linnaeus, is a dwarf-growing, 

 greenhouse species, native of Central Europe, Siberia, Persia, North China, 

 and Japan. Its very densely-matted, trailing stems, 2in. to 3in. long, are 

 slender, pale-coloured, forked at the base, distantly pinnately branched, with 

 short, slightly -divided branches. The leaves of the lower plane, oblong or 

 broadly egg-shaped, are closely set, rounded on both sides at the base, pale 

 green, and of a moderately firm texture ; those of the upper plane are half as 

 long and sharp-pointed. The fruiting spikes, nearly cylindrical and £in. to 

 lin. long, are distinctly stalked. — Baker, Handbook of the Fern-Allies, p. 37. 

 Nicholson, Dictionary of Gardening, hi., p. 411. 



S. inaequali folia — in-se-qua-lif-or-i-a (unequal-leaved), Spring. 



This free-growing and very decorative, stove species is a native of the 

 Eastern Himalayas and of the mountains of Burmah. Its somewhat erect, 

 sarmentose stems, which reach a length of 3ft. to 4ft., are provided with oblong- 

 spear-shaped, much-divided lateral branches about Gin. long. The leaves of 

 the lower plane, broadly egg-shaped and pointed at their summit, are bright 

 green, of a moderately firm texture, rounded on the upper side at their base, 

 and do not overlap the stem ; those of the upper plane are half as long, 

 oblique-egg-shaped, and short -pointed. The fruiting spikes are square, and 

 measure |in. to Jin. long. — Baker, Handbook of the Fern- Allies, p. 91. 

 Nicholson, Dictionary of Gardening, hi., p. 411. 



S. i. perelegans — per-e'-leg-ans (very elegant), Moore. 



A pretty variety, known also in commerce as S. bellula. It is easily 

 distinguished from the typical plant by its dwarf stems, seldom more than 

 lft. long, their branches being shorter, more triangular, and much more divided 

 at the base (see Plate, for which we are indebted to Messrs. W. and J. 

 Birkenhead). The fruiting spikes, which are abundantly produced, are often 

 lin. long. — Baker, Handbook of the Fern- Allies, p. 91. 



S. involvens — in-vol'-vens (rolled-up), Spring. 



One of the prettiest of the small-growing Selaginellas in cultivation ; it is 

 a greenhouse species, native of Japan, Corea, China, the Philippine Islands, 

 and the Eastern Himalayas, The stems, all produced from a central crown, 



