Lake Maxinkuckee, Physical and Biological Survey 205 



The fertile fronds bear spores quite abundantly and these can 

 be collected in fair-sized masses by simply shaking them out of the 

 spore cone. They are gray-green in color, and are remarkably 

 sensitive to changes of moisture ; breathing upon a spore mass 

 causes it to fluff up, while drying causes it to occupy small space. 

 This change of appearance is due to two long appendages to each 

 spore which unfold or fold up according as moisture is added or 

 withdrawn. 



Most of our specimens collected represent the form known as E. 

 pseudo-sylvaticiim. 



21. SWAMP HORSETAIL 



EQUISETUM FLUVIATILE L. 



This smoothish. dark-green horsetail is usually found growing 

 in the edges of ponds in shallow water. There was a large patch 

 at the ed^e of the pond bordering the lake just below Farrar's, 

 and a small patch grew in the edge of the lake below Winfield's. 



The plants did not fruit heavily in the region of the lake, and 

 after fruiting they put out numerous branches in whorls. All 

 examples collected belonged to the variety verticillatum. 



At the opening up of spring, this plant first manifests itself by 

 the appearance of a pale cone-shaped growing point very near the 

 surface of the ground. This growing point was noticeable by April 

 9. By May 14 the plants were quite conspicuous and by May 27 

 they were in fruit. 



A large clump of these plants, heavily laden with sparkling 

 transpiration drops, on a moist morning, is a sight that lies out of 

 the beaten paths of travel and worth getting up early and going a 

 good way to see. Even to those familiar with the great variety 

 of form exhibited by plant life, it has an out-of-the-way, archaic 

 appearance and makes one think of pictures of carboniferous 

 landscapes. 



22. STOUT SCOURING-RUSH 



EQUISETUM ROBUSTUM A. Br. 



The Stout Scouring Rush is fairly common about the lake, grow- 

 ing quite thickly in patches on the steep slopes which form the bank 

 of the lake. It grows both in open and rather well wooded situa- 

 tions, though not usually in dense shade. There was a large dense 

 patch on the steep bank at Lakeview Hotel, and it was common 

 all along the bank on the east side of the lake. There were also a 



