SELA GIN ELLA . 



423 



S. laevigata — lae-vig-a'-ta (smooth), Baker. 



A stove species, native of Madagascar, with erect stems lft. to ljft. long, 

 simple in the lower half, broadly triangular in the upper half, the stalked 

 branches, also broadly triangular, being again divided into branchlets 2in. to 

 3in. long. The leaves of the lower plane, oblong- spear- shaped and sharp- 

 pointed, are crowded, of a bright green colour, firm in texture, and do not 

 overlap the stem ; those of the upper plane are very small, spear-shaped, and 

 sharp -pointed. The fruiting spikes are square and Jin. to lin. long. This 

 must not be confounded with S. laevigata of commerce, which is identical with 

 S. WiUdenovii. — Baker, Handbook of the Fern- Allies, p. 100. Nicholson, 

 Dictionary of Gardening, hi., p. 411. 



S. 1. Lyallii — Ly-all'-i-i (Lyall's), Spring. 



This variety differs from the species in having its fronds more divided, 

 and their lower branches again twice forked, with final divisions sometimes 

 lin. long. The fructification is also thoroughly distinct : large but short 

 fruiting spikes, like Juniperus seeds in miniature, are borne at the extremity 

 of the branchlets (but very sparingly). — Nicholson, Dictionary of Gardening, 

 hi., p. 411. 



S. lepidophylla — lep-id-oph-yl'-la (scaly-leaved), Spring. 



This stove species, popularly known as the " Resurrection Plant," is 

 a native of Tropical America, where it is found in exposed places from Texas 

 and Mexico to Peru. It belongs to the rosulatce section, and its densely- 

 tufted stems, 2in. to 4in. long, are branched to the base. The leaves 

 of the lower plane, egg-shaped, blunt, and minutely ciliated, considerably 

 overlap, are of a rigid texture, green on the face, and paler on the back, and 

 when old are tinted reddish-brown ; those of the upper plane are nearly 

 as long. The fruiting spikes are square and Jin. to Jin. long. — Baker, 

 Handbook of the Fern-Allies, p. 88. Nicholson, Dictionary of Gardening, 

 hi., p. 411. 



S. Lobbii — Lob'-bi-i (Lobb's), Moore. 



In gardens, this very handsome plant, native of Borneo and West 

 Sumatra, is also known as S. cognata. Its robust, almost climbing stems 



