6 



injurious action from the wind. It has been supposed that on lofty 

 mountains this plant, fonning as it does a compact matted turf, whence 

 the Swedish name, serves to bind the surface of the soil more closely 

 together, and thus secure it from the continued crumbling away to 

 which, in exposed situations, it is constantly liable, from the effects of 

 ^^^nd and rain. 



The stem is procumbent and repeatedly branched, the branches 

 being at first slightly elevated, but soon becoming completely pros- 

 trate. It extends to a great length ; T have frequently found plants 

 on Crooksbury Hill, near Farnham, in Surrey, spreading to a circum- 

 ference of ten or twelve yards. The whole plant has a rigid, harsh, 

 and wiry feel when handled, even in a living state, and more especially 

 when dried. When the plant is about to produce seed, there are 

 thrown out fi'om various parts of its branches, spikes of about an inch 

 in length, of a pale sulphur colour, and in shape somewhat resembling 

 catkins ; these are usually double, but some few are single, and a still 

 smaller number treble ; they are erect and straight until the seed has 

 been shed, when they become curved; they are situated on a stalk 

 about twice their own length, and nearly naked, a character which is 

 suflScient to distinguish this from any other of our indigenous species, 

 and which gives to the plant, when growing luxuriantly, as I have 

 seen it at Cwm Idwal and other parts of Caernarvonshire, a most 

 striking and beautiftil appearance. 



The whole of the branches are densely covered with narrow, flat, 

 ribless, smooth leaves, the edges of which are slightly toothed, and 

 the tips terminate in a filamentous point : the leaves as well as the 

 stems are persistent; I have observed them in March and April per- 

 fectly uninjured by our severest winters. On the stalks supporting 

 the spikes the leaves are longer, narrow, and of a pale yellowish green 

 colour ; they are closely pressed against the stalk, and disposed some- 

 what in whorls, thus giving to the stalk the appearance of the stem of 

 an Equisetum ; they also in a great degree want the long filamentous 

 points which are invariably present on the leaves of the prostrate 

 branches, to the extremities of which they often give a hoary appear- 

 ance. In the spike itself the leaves are very much broader at the 

 base, being altogether of a more triangular figure, and assuming the 

 appearance and ofiice of bracts ; their colour is a pale yellow, and 

 their margins are membranaceous and serrated. After the seed has 

 escaped, these leaves or bracts become reflexed, giving to the spike a 

 vciy altered character and appearance. 



The thecaj are somewhat reniform, perfectly sessile, and of a pale 



