70 



LYCOPODIACE^. 



[ACROGENS. 



Fig. XL VIII. 



to those who would place the former genus in this natural order. It is said to have 

 quite the appearance of Plantago pusilla. 



Accordmg to Ad. Brongniai't, the stem of a Lyco- 

 podium is almost identical, anatomically, with the root 

 of Ferns. 



In geographical distribution these follow the same 

 laws as Ferns, being most abundant in hot humid 

 situations in the tropics, and especially in small islands. 

 As they approach the north they become scarcer ; but 

 even in the chmate of northern Em'ope, in Lapland 

 itself, whole tracts are covered with Lycopodium 

 alpinum and Selaginoides. 



The powder contained m the spore-cases of Lyco- 

 podium clavatum and Selago is liighly inflammable ; 

 shaken out and collected it is employed under the 

 name of Lycopode, or vegetable Immstone, on the Con- 

 tinent, in the manufacture of fireworks, and in pharaiacy 

 to roll up pills, which when coated ^^ith it may be put into water \\athout being 

 moistened. The plant of Lycopodium clavatum has long been used as an emetic, and that 

 of L. Selago as a cathartic ; but it is said that if the dose is not small it is followed by 

 faintness and convulsions ; it is regarded as a powerful ii'ritant, and has been externally 

 employed for keeping bhsters open, and as a counter-hi-itant in cases of uiflamed eyes. 

 The most remarkable plant of the order, however, is the Yatum condenado (Yatum 

 Great Devil, and condenado accm-sed,) which appears to be the Lycopodium rubrum of 

 Chamisso. Sh' W. Hooker, who calls it L. catharticum, states that it acts most 

 vehemently as a pm*gative, and has been administered successfully in Spanish America 

 in cases of elephantiasis. According to Vastring, Clubmosses are likely to become of 

 importance m dyeing ; he asserts, that woollen cloths boiled A^-ith Lycopodiums, especially 

 with L. clavatum, acquire the property of becoming blue when passed tlii'ough a bath 

 of Brazil wood. Lycopodium Phlegmaria is reputed an aphrodisiac. So also the rock- 

 lily, a name sometimes given to Selaginella convoluta. Spring, also called Lycopodium 

 squamatum, a plant remarkable for its hygi-ometrical properties, rolling up'^into a ball 

 when dry and unrolling again when damped, is asserted by INIartius, who found it 

 abundantly m the provinces of Bahia and Pernambuco, to act upon the mucous mem- 

 brane, especially of the uropoetic system. " Potentiam vuilem amissam ejus decocto 

 reduci posse perhibent, quo jure nescio." He, however, advises a full trial to be made 

 of these and the East Indian species. 



GENERA. 



Tmesipteris, Bernh. 

 Psilotum, Sicartz. 



Bernhardia, AVilld. 



Hofmannia, Willd. 



Tristeca, Palis. 

 Lycopodium, Linn. 

 Selago, Hook, et Gren. 

 Hiq:erzia, Berah. 



Lepidotis, Palis. 

 Chamacclinis, Mart. 

 SelagineUa, Spring. 

 Stxichygyna ndrum , Ps. 



Diplostachijum, Palis. 

 Gymnogynum, Palis. 

 Phylloglossum, Kunze. 



Numbers. Gen. 1. Sp. 200. {Hooker.) 



Coniferee. 

 Position. — Ophioglossacese. — Lycopodiace^.— Marsileacese. 



Fig. XLVIII.— Phylloglossum Drummondii: 1, whole plant, natural size; 2. spike magnified. 



