CELLULARES, ORFLOWERLESS 

 PLANTS. 



PLANTS without flowers and spiral vessels, composed, chiefly 

 of cellular tissue ACOTYLEDONES, Juss. CRYPTOGAMOUS 

 or ,/ETHEOGAMOUS PLANTS of Authors. 



Div. L FILICOIDEJE, OR FERN-LIKE PLANTS. 



OBS. The following account of our Filicoid plants is the result of 

 long and attentive study. In addition to my own collection, which 

 embraces most of the American, and many foreign species, I have 

 carefully examined the specimens in the herbarium of Muhlenberg, 

 arid in that of Mr. Schweinitz, which were generously loaned to me by 

 that gentleman. I have also received specimens from friends in different 

 parts of our country, especially from Dr. Asa Gray, N. Y., Dr. T. R. 

 Ingalls, Louisiana, Prof. Hitchcock, Mass. To Dr. A. F. Holmes, of 

 Montreal^ I am indebted for an almost entire suite of Canadian ferns. 



ORDER .CXL. EQUISETACE^E. De Cand. Liiid. 



Fructification in terminal spikes, composed of peltate sev- 

 eral-sided scales, producing on their inner surface 4 7 elon- 

 gated involucres, which contain the seeds. Seeds or sporules 

 numerous, globose, surrounded by four elastic clavate fila- 

 ments, which are dilated at the extremity. 



Leafless plants, with whorled branches. Stem fistular, 

 jointed ; the joints separable and surrounded by membran- 

 ous toothed sheaths. The cuticle abounds in silex. 



1. EQUISETUM. Linn. 



OBS. The only genus of the order ; the character therefore need 

 not be repeated. 



1. JG. palustre Linn. : stems deeply furrowed, smooth, branched ; 

 branches simple, 5-sided, curved upwards ; sheath subappressed, dis- 

 tant, cut at the apex into 10 fuscous teeth ; spike oblong, blackish. 



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