1902J Leavitt, — Notes on Lycopodium 59 



Lycopodium complanatum, var. flabelliforme. — The main 

 stem of L. complanatum is spoken of by Gray's Manual as "exten- 

 sively creeping (often subterranean)." The L. complanatum of the 

 Manual is the variety flabelliforme^ Fernald. By my observation the 

 main stem is very much oftener unbranched — the vertical second- 

 aries aside — than branched. On the average of many plants 

 examined, it divides less than once in five or six years. And I have 

 never found it subterranean. It creeps onward in a single line, as 

 a rule reaching forward annually a foot more or less, and always 

 running over the surface unless by accident the tip meets an obstruc- 

 tion. If the way is barred the tip may make a detour and become 

 for a short distance in a manner subterranean. Otherwise it lies 

 upon the surface. The duration of the stem is five or six years ; 

 that is, the oldest part, which is about to be overtaken by decay, is 

 five or six years old. Naturally in the course of so many years 

 the stem often becomes covered with leaf mold. It does not, how- 

 ever, seek a subterranean path, so far as I have been able to find. 



These points with regard to var. flabelliforme are of some value in 

 determining the standing of the variety (?). or species (?), chamac- 

 cyparissus. 



The number of strobiles to the peduncle I find very variable, 

 according to local conditions. Strong light and dry soil tend to 

 restrict the branching of the fruiting axes, and this effect is often 

 marked. For example a plant collected without particular attention 

 to the number of spikes proves to have the following strobilation. 



Strobiles per peduncle 1234 



Cases found 3920 



The average number of strobiles is 1.9 — 



At Jaffrey, New Hampshire, I gathered a good number of spikes 

 from a variety of situations in order to obtain some idea of the ten- 

 dency of the plant in that region in the matter of branching of the 

 inflorescence (if we may so speak or the "fruiting" parts). The 

 count shows such a degree of variation that one may probably con- 

 clude that the influence of soil, light, etc., is greater than that of 

 geographical position. At least it indicates that it would be a very 

 arduous task to make even an approximate determination of the 

 general tendency in any district. Spikes gathered in an open fallow 

 field, in moderately dry soil, where there was no shade, gave the 

 following figures : 



