1. Lycopodium] 11. LYCOPOBIACEM. 



On river banks, sometimes sub-gregarious. Neterhat, 2-3000 ft. Fr. May- 

 Jvme. , ^ ^ 



Old plants extend several feet. 



FAM. 12. SELAGINELLACE^. 



(Excluding Isoetese.) 



Erect or more often prostrate herbs with copious sub-monopodial 

 or dichotomous branching in one plane. Leaves very small simple 

 entire with a single vascular bundle, usually terminating in a point 

 or delicate awn, verv often ventral leaves larger and distichous (appear- 

 ing lateral) and dorsal leaves smaller and unilateral, more rarely uni- 

 form and imbricate all round the stem, upper side mth a minute or 

 microscopic ligule. Sporophylls forming a quadrangular terminal 

 spike or flower, usually similar to one another but often differing in 

 shape to the sterile leaves. Sporangia arising between the hgule 

 and base of the sporophvlls of two kinds, macrosporangia with usually 

 4 (2, 4 or 8) macrospores, larger and 2-4-valved, and microsporangia 

 which contain microspores, smaller and usually 2-valved. 



The development of the sporangia and spores is much the same as /n the Lz/co- 

 vodiaceT The '^nores are usually echinate. The macrospores develop a small- 

 ?e£l meniscus-shaped Uss^^ in the apical region which never leaves the spore 

 but become'^ exposed by a 3-raved apertiue on the spore and deye opes one or moie 

 SchegonTa and'^f^ the Aulimentary prothallium. The cavity of the ^Pore bec!.niea 

 filled with a large-celled tissue which may be horiiologous to the endospeim ot 

 Gymnosperms,. The microspores produce a very rudimentary 1-celled prothalhum 

 and a simple antheridium. 



1. SELAGINELLA, Spring. 



(The only genus.) 



I Leaves all similar, imbricate all round the stem . 

 II Leaves ventral and dorsal dissimilar, in two planes :- 

 A. Sporophylls all similar to one another :— 



1 Small fugacious species, branched from the base :- 

 ' Sporophylls like the larger leaves. Stem decumbent . 

 Sporophvlls not like the leaves. Stem ascending . 



2. Persistent, trailing, and rooting along the stem, 2-3- 



pinnate from near the base (or suberect m forms of 



plumosa). Leaves entire :— 

 L oblong obtuse or subacute, flaccid, nearly eqm- 



lateral, base not imbricate over stem. eciUate 

 L oblong-lanceolate, acute, firmer, acroscopic side 

 'larger and imbricate over ventral side of stem, base 



3, Persistent with stems'erect rigid and unbranched below :— 



a. Sporophylls cuspidately acuminate, much exceeding 



capsul'^s ' — 



i. Frond^ not curling up (or slightly curling in 



drought in cautescens), surfaces nearly con- 



colorous:— . , ^ . , , 



L. with white closely ciliolate margins, dorsal 



cuspidate . . • . ; , • ^ • 



L glabrous or with few ciha, dorsal acute . 



ii. Frond markedly curling especially in drought, deep 

 green above, very pale or white beneath. 

 b. Sporophylls orbicular, scarcely exceeding the 

 capsules ...••••• 



1. rupestriS: 



2. exujua. 



3. flaccida. 



4. semicordata. 



5. plumosa. 



6. caulescent. 



7. penta<jo)ia. 



8. bryopteris. 



9. fulcrata. 



1222 



