SECOND GRAND DIVISION, 

 CRYPTOGAMIA, OR FLOWERLESS PLANTS. 



Plants chiefly composed of cellular tissue^ without spiral vessels^ des- 

 titute of true flowers^ and producing spores 

 instead of seeds. 



CliASS V. ACROGEXS. 



Flowerless plants with a proper stem or axis, often with a vascu- 

 lar system composed chiefly of annular ducts, usually furnished with 

 leaves. Growth by the extension of the apex, without subsequent 

 increase in diameter. Spores with a proper integument, and con- 

 tained in a vessel analogous to an ovary, called theca or sporangium. 



Order CLXII. EQUISETACE^.— Horsetails. 



Plant leafless, simple or with verticillate branches. 



S?e7«.striate-suicate, jointed, fistular between, and separable at, the joints. 



Sheaths dentate, crowning the summit of each iiiternode. 



Inflorescence (by analogy) a dense, cylindric, terminal spike or strobile. 



Scales of the strobile peltate, he.xagonal, subverticillate. 



TheccB 4—7, attached to the under surface of the scales, with lateral dehiscence. 



Spores numerous, globose, surrounded by minute granules. [manner. 



Llaters, bodies of unknown use, consisting of 4 elastic, clavate filaments involving the spores in a spiral 



An order consi.^ting at present of a single genus, growing in wet grounds, on river banks, and borders 

 of woods, throughout inost countries. The Equisetacese abound in the fossil remains of coal measures 

 with other Cryptogamia, as Lycopodiacefe and Filires, indicating that these plants were once of gigantic 

 dimensions, and formed a large part of the original flora of our globe. Species about 10. 



Properties. — They abound in sile.x, and hence are used by cabinet-makers, comb-makers, &c., in polish- 

 ing their work. 



EaUISETUM. 

 Lat. equus, a horse, seta, hair ; perhaps alluding to the general resemblance. 



Character the same as that of the order. 



1. E. HYEMALE. Scouriug Rush. 



Sts. all simple, erect, very rous^h, each bearing a terminal, ovoid spike ; 

 skeath cinerous white, black at the base and summit, short, with subulate, 

 awned and deciduous teeth. — Very noticeable in wet, shady grounds, and by 

 brooksides. Stems about 2f high, often 2 or more united at base from the same 

 root. Sheaths 2 — 3" long, 1 — 2^' apart, the white ring much broader than the 

 black, at length entire from the tailing off of the teeth. The roughness of the 

 cuticle is owing to the silex in its composition. June. 



2. E. ARVEXSE. Field Horsetail. 



Fcrtik sfs. erect, simple, sterile with simple, quadrangular branches, de- 

 cumbent at base. — Low grounds, Free States and Brit. Am. Fertile stems'first 

 appearing, 6—8' high, with 3—5 joints surmoimted by large, inflated sheaths cut 

 into long, dark brown teeth. Spike oblong, i— 2' long. Sterile stems rather 

 taller than the fertile, remaining through the season, after these have decayed. 

 At each joint is a whorl of simple, rough, a.scending branches, issuing from the 

 base of the sheaths, their joints also sheathed. April. 



3. E. sYi.VATicuM. Wood Horsetail. 



Sterile and fertile sts. with compound, rough, deflexed, angular branches.— 

 Grows in woods and low grounds, Free States and Brit. Am. Stems 9—16' 



