Minnesota Plant Life. 131 



siilar plant which was nearest the sexual plant and was not 

 thrust up for the purpose of scattering the spores. 



This further fact next presents itself for consideration : that 

 among the higher plants, all prostrate forms of stems are secon- 

 dary; for stems must originally have been erect, like the moss 

 fruit-body. Thus it is not surprising to learn that the oldest 

 forms of terrestrial plants were of the forest rather than of the 

 prairie type. This, at least, is the conclusion that is reached 

 upon a study of the most ancient plant-fossils preserved in the 

 rocks. 



