THE PAGE OF NATURE. 57 



club-moss these spikes are two-pronged, and of a whitish 

 colour, while the seed is highly inflammable, and was 

 formerly employed to produce artificial lightning on the 

 stage, by being blown through a tube and ignited. These 

 seeds originate independently of any reproductive organs 

 or fertilizing influence. Indeed it is these seeds in ger- 

 mination which develop the structure upon which the 

 fertilizing organ, and the organ to be fertilized, are situ- 

 ated. The stems are perennial, and consist of a mass 

 of thick walled, often dotted cells, enclosing one or 

 more bundles of scalariform tissue, which send off 

 branches to every leaf and bud. Among these bundles 

 may be seen elongated cells, distinctly reticulated. This 

 kind of tissue indicates a close relation to the ferns, and 

 justifies the position in which they are usually placed 

 by systematists. New fruii^axils are formed year after 

 year, bearing their new cluster of seeds independent al- 

 together of any fertilizing organs, such as antheridia or 

 archegonia. The club-mosses are all very graceful and 

 beautiful plants. The Spanish moss (Lycopodiwn denti- 

 culatum) is a great ornament to conservatories and hot- 

 houses, where it conceals with its luxuriant drapery the 

 mould in the pots, and keeps the roots of the plants 

 moist. Nothing can be lovelier or more elegant than a 

 basket of orchids in full flower, with clusters of this moss 

 drooping in careless grace from its sides. The common 

 club-moss of our moors is often gathered by the peasan- 

 try to festoon the ornaments of their mantelpieces ; 

 while wreaths of it are collected from the woods of Bal- 

 moral, where it grows in abundance, to grace the royal 

 table. All the species of lycopods are possessed of 



