338 MR. R. 4. ROLFE ON THE SELAGINEJE 
plant, which differs from the Madagascar plant in the setaceous 
leaves armed with bristles, the creeping rhizome, and several 
other points. The whole plant is 15 inches high, with numerous 
leaves and culms; the female flowers very few in number, only 
2 or 3 in the upper part of the lower spikes. 
On the Selaginee described by Linngus, Bergius, Linneus, fil., 
and Thunberg. By R. A. Rorfr, Herbarium, Royal Gar- 
dens, Kew. (Communicated by Prof. Orrvzgm, F.L.S.) 
[Read June 2, 1883.] 
For several months I have made a careful study of this inter- 
esting but neglected order with a view of monographing it. At 
the outset it became apparent that many of the species of these 
early authors have been hitherto entirely misunderstood, a cir- 
cumstance arising from several causes—primarily from the ab- 
sence of authentic specimens, and the difficulty of determining 
the species from the short and imperfect descriptions supplied, 
descriptions not always based on the best characters, some of 
which require dissection for their adequate definition, but on 
those superficial characters which often equally apply to more 
than one species, and, secondly, from the fact that some species 
are excessively local, a circumstance which in several instances 
led to an old name being applied when a new one should have 
been given. Thus Hebenstreitia dentata, L., and Selago fruti- 
cosa, L., were unknown to Thunberg, though he applied the 
names to very different plants, It therefore appeared to me that 
the species of these early authors could best be dealt with in a 
separate paper, which Í now venture to offer to the Society in 
the hope that in some measure it may remove these miscon- 
ceptions. 
The arrangement I have adopted is a chronological one, which 
seems to methe best applicable to the case; and under each spe- 
cies is given, first, the condition of the original specimens in the 
respective herbaria, and, secondly, a note as to what has been 
done with each by later authors. Where the species was founded 
on an old figure, I have considered this as the type, provided 
always that the description agrees with the figure; and where 
founded on an old description, the same course has been adopted ; 
although, where practicable, the original specimen has been con- 
