274 



/3. Equisetum Mackaii, Newman, Equin. elongainm, Hooker, 

 ' London Journal of Botany,' 42 ; but neither of Willdenow nor 

 Keichenbach. 



y. Equisetum variegatiim, Schleicher. 



Although our more eminent modern botanists have considered as 

 distinct species the plants which I have here given as varieties; and 

 although I most willingly admit that each, in its extreme state, is 

 without difficulty to be distinguished from the others ; yet I am totally 

 unable to find constant characters by which to distinguish either : I 

 shall therefore treat of them as constituting but a single species, figur- 

 ing nevertheless each peculiar form of its natural size, and giving on 

 one block magnified representations of those characters which have 

 been pointed out as distinctive. 



The figures usually quoted as representing this plant are so in- 

 correct that they can only be referred to with doubt. Tragus* and 

 Dalechamp,t whose figures are usually quoted as representations of 

 Equisetum hyemale, have adorned the upper part of each stem with 

 whorls of short branches, which give the plant a very extraordinary 

 appearance, and suggest the idea of their being intended for Equise- 

 tum limosum or Hippuris vulgaris, the upper part of the stems much 

 resembling the latter plant ; and it should be added that Tragus as- 

 signs to his figure the name of Hippuris. It should however be ob- 

 served that one of these figures is a servile copy from the other, the 

 outline having been traced and transferred to another block, by which 

 the figure has been reversed. The figure in Matthiolus,! also sup- 

 posed to refer to this species, may possibly be intended for the varie- 

 gatum of Schleicher ; but I can only venture this as a suggestion, for 

 it is by no means characteristic of any plant with which I am acquaint- 

 ed. Gerarde's figure§ evidently represents variegatum : the specimen 

 selected for the purpose being more than usually divided : the learned 

 author however ascribes to his plant the property usually assigned 

 exclusively to the normal form, speaking of it as the " small and na- 

 ked shave-grasse wherewith Fletchers and Combemakers doe rub and 

 polish their work."|| Camei'arius^ also represents variegatum. The 

 figure in ' English Botany ' ** appears to me to be spoiled by an at- 

 tempt to represent the roughness of the stem, which of course cannot 

 be accomplished. That in the * Flora Londinensis ' ft is the most 

 characteristic I have met with. 



* Tragus, Hieron, 692. f Dalechamp, Historia, 1071. % Matt. Valg. ii. 375. 



§Ger. Em. 1113. || Ger. Em. 1. c. 



IT Camer. Epit. 1586. ** Eng. Bot. 915. ff Flora Londinensis, 161. 



