16 ENGLISH BOTANY. 



more or less to olive, slightly shining, with a midrib ending in a sharp, 

 almost spinous, point. Stem leaves ^- to ^ inch long ; branch leaves 

 ^ to \ inch long, more serrated, and much closer together than 

 those of the stem. Spikes ^ to 1^ inch long, ^ to ^ inch in diameter, 

 often with a few of the leaves on the apex of the branch on which 

 it is placed adpressed and smaller than the lower ones, which gives 

 the spike the appearance of being shortly stalked. Bracts of the 

 spike variable in shape, from narrowly ovate to roundish reniform, 

 subcordate at the base, sometimes gradually acuminated into a trian- 

 gular point, at other times with a linear subsetaceous cusp. 



The North American plant appears to be identical with the 

 European. 



Interrupted Club-moss, 



SPECIES 1V.-LYCO PODIUM CLAVATUM. Linn. 



Plate 1833. 

 Raberih. Crypt. Vase. Europ. No. 66. 



Stem very long, creeping, much branched ; branches at first 

 ascending, afterwards prostrate, unbranched or irregularly dichotomous 

 or pinnate. Leaves inserted all round the stem, approximate, most 

 of them turned upwards and slightly falcate, so as to be subsecund ; 

 those on the under side of the stem adpressed to it, linear strap- 

 shaped, acute, piliferous, finely and rather remotely spinous-dentate ; 

 leaves on the branches crowded, more closely placed than on the 

 main stem, adpressed or ascending, incurved, similar to those on the 

 stem, but less denticulate and the upper ones often quite entire. 

 Peduncles from the termination of short branches, elongate, furnished 

 with irregular whorls of small subulate leaves with membranous den- 

 ticulate margins and terminal hairs, which are usually somewhat 

 shorter than those of the stem-leaves. Spikes in pairs, more rarely 

 solitary or three together, shortly pedicellate, linear-cylindrical or 

 oblong-cylindrical, subobtuse. Bracts yellow, deltoid-ovate, gradually 

 acuminated into a long cusp, which, at least in the lower bracts, often 

 terminates in a hair, rounded at the base, finely denticulate on the 

 margins. 



On heaths and stony places. Rather frequent and generally dis- 

 tributed, though more common in mountainous districts. 



England, Scotland, Ireland. Perennial. Summer. 



Stem attaining the length of 1 or 2 yards, or even more ; -tough, 

 wiry, rooting at distant intervals, much branched, but the branches 



