Selenia
(probably from selene, the moon; connection not obvious). ORD. Cruciferae. A small genus (two species) of small, hardy, annual herbs, natives of Texas and Arkansas. Flowers yellowish, in terminal, leafy racemes; sepals spreading, coloured, sub-equal; petals erect. Leaves pinnatisect. S. aurea, whether for the colour or odour of its flowers, or for the considerable time it remains in blossom, is well worthy of cultivation. It requires similar treatment to other hardy annuals.
S. aurea (golden).* fl. erect, the lower ones solitary in the upper axils, the upper ones collected into a sub-corymbose raceme; sepals greenish-yellow; petals golden-yellow, twice as long as the sepals, obovate-spathulate. June. l. 1in. to 2in. long, 1/3in. to 1/2in. broad, linear-oblong, pinnatifid; segments about five to seven pairs. h. 9in. 1881. (B. M. 6607.)