68 LYCOPODALES. [Aceogkns. 



Alliance V. — LYCOPODALES. — The Lycopodal Alliance. 



Diagnosis. — Vascular Acrogens, with axillary or radical one — or many-celled spore-cases, 



and spores of two so)is. 



The formation of leaves, which in the Muscat Alliance had become complete, is in this 

 group carried still further ; for the leaves are now capable of generating spore-cases in 

 their axils. That tendency to form spiral vessels which in Muscales is confined to the 

 cellular tissue, with the single exception of the Horsetails, is now a characteristic of 

 this Alliance, the axis containing in all cases spiral tubes in abundance. The larger of 

 lubmosses seem to imitate Coniferous Gymnogens in their manner of growth, and 

 in their tendency to collect their spore-cases in cones. The Pepperworts evidently 

 exhibit an approach to that system of converting leaves into seed-vessels which is so 

 generally characteristic of flowering plants. Here too it would seem that we have a 

 g^eat approach to the manner in which sexual organs are formed in the more perfect 

 classes. 



NATURAL ORDERS OF LYCOPODALS. 



Spore-cases l-3-cellcd, axillary ; reproductive bodies similar . . 21. LycopodiacejE. 



ta many-celled, radical (or axillary); reproductive bodies 1 -,-, ,, 

 dissimilar J--. .\1arsileace.e. 



