CLUB-MOSSES 163 
it is in many mountainous regions, especially in the north of Europe, growing 
on wild open places, at a great elevation, or in pine-woods ; it is also plentiful 
in some parts of North America. Mr. Watson describes it as pretty frequent 
between 500 and 850 yards on the mountains of Clova and the west of Aber- 
deenshire ; but adds, ‘“‘I have never seen it above 900 yards, or below 500.” 
This Club-moss receives its specific name from the somewhat jointed or 
interrupted appearance of its branches, which arises from the leaves being at 
shorter intervals and less spreading. The creeping stem sends out, here and 
there, several upright branches, from one to four inches long; but it is less 
branched than L. clavatum. The length of these is increased every year, and 
the points of the annual growths are very visible, giving to the stem its 
interrupted appéarance. These upright branches are often again divided, and 
the spike is usually on the sixth or seventh joint of the branch when fertile, 
but some branches are barren. This is a large species, sometimes growing 
even to the height of a foot from the ground; and its narrow leaves, which 
spread out on all sides of the stems, are arranged in five rows, which, how- 
ever, are not very distinctly marked. The little saw-edged and stiffly-pointed 
leaves are without stalks; they are of a yellowish-green colour, and have 
each a distinct mid-rib. On the older parts of the stem, the leaves not only 
spread more than on those newly grown, but they sometimes turn down- 
wards. 
The spike of fructification is at the top of the leafy branch, without a 
partial stalk, and about an inch long. It is oblong, and the bracts or scales 
upon it are nearly round, with a long narrow point, and a jagged membranous 
margin. When the spores are matured and burst from their capsules, these 
scale-like leaves turn downwards. 
3. Flat-stemmed Club-moss (L. complandtum).—Stems stiff, wiry, 
waved, sparingly leaved; leafy branches im clusters, stem flattened, leaves 
in 2—4 rows of two sizes; spikes one or more, stalked. This species, 
whose only British stations are in Gloucestershire and Worcestershire, is 
a plant of the heath-clad hill and stony moor. Its stem reaches a length 
of a foot and a half; and the two side rows of leaves or its branches will 
be found to be attached by their base and concave, whilst those of the upper 
and under rows are free, more awl-shaped and shorter, as well as more erect. 
4. Savin-leaved Club-moss (ZL. alpinwm).—Leaves overlapping each 
other, in four rows, acute, keeled, entire ; spikes terminal; branches erect 
and clustered. This is a pretty evergreen species, of a much brighter tint 
than any other of our Club-mosses. It grows in great abundance on the 
grassy slopes in the hilly and mountainous districts of Scotland, large tracts 
of ground being rendered of a rich green by its trailing stems. It occurs in 
England on the mountains of Derbyshire, Yorkshire, and Cumberland, and 
again in Hants and Somerset, as well as in Ireland. It grows in several 
Welsh localities, as at Carnedd David, in Carnarvonshire, at an elevation of 
3,000 feet. On the northern mountainous regions of Europe, as in Lapland, 
Sweden, Norway, Russia, Germany, and Switzerland, it is a common plant, 
as it also is on the high lands of Canada. 
This species is regarded by Sir Joseph Hooker as a sub-species of L. com- 
planatum, from which it differs in several points. Its English name was 
21—2 
