DIVISION II. 

 FLOWERLESS OR CRYPTOGAMOUS PLANTS. 



PLANTS DESTITUTE OF PROPER FLOWERS ; AND PRODUCING 

 SPORES, INSTEAD OF SEEDS. 



CLASS I. FERN-LIKE PLANTS. 



Flowerless plants, with a stem having a vascular system and 

 for the most part with distinct leaves or fronds. Spore-cases 

 (the coverings of the spores, sometimes called theccs or cap- 

 sules), axillary, radical or dorsal, one or many-celled. 



ORDER CXLVIII. EQUISETACEJS. HORSE TAILS. 



Fructification in terminal cones or spikes composed of peltate 

 scales attached to a central axis, and bearing on their inner sur- 

 face several cases or thecse, which contain the spores. Spores 

 oval grains, wrapped round with 'a pair of highly elastic elaters, 

 which uncoil themselves when dry. Leafless herbaceous peren- 

 nial plants. Stems hollow -and jointed, either simple or with 

 whorled branches, and furnished at the joints with toothed 

 sheaths. Stomates arranged longitudinally on the cuticle, 

 which contains a large quantity of silica. 



EQJJISETUM. Linn. Horse Tail. 

 Character same as that of the order. 



* Fertile stems simple, discolored, appearing before the sterile ones. 

 1. E. arvense Linn. : sterile stems erect or assurgent, roughish, with 

 12 14 furrows, the branches 3 4-angled and ascending ; teeth of the 

 sheaths ovate-acuminate, subsquarrose ; fertile stems simple, erect ; the 

 sheaths large, loose, remote. 



