LYCOPODIUM. 191 



growth, and indeed on the oldest portions often become 

 somewhat deflexed; they have a yellowish-green colour, 

 and are of a hard rigid texture; they have moreover a 

 stout midrib, prominent at the back. 



The spike of fructification is in this species perfectly 

 stalkless, being seated directly on the termination of the 

 leafy branch. It is about an inch long, of an oblong form, 

 and consists of closely overlapping bracts, of a roundish- 

 ovate form, having a long narrow point and jagged mem- 

 branous margins. In the axil of the bracts is produced a 

 large reniform capsule, containing numerous minute pale 

 yellowish spores. The bracts become reflexed when these 

 spores have escaped from the burst capsule. 



This a rare species, confined to wild mountainous locali- 

 ties, occurring in the Scottish Highlands, and formerly, if 

 not now, plentiful on Glyder, in Caernarvonshire. It is 

 not known to occur in England or Ireland, but is plenti- 

 ful in the pine-forests of the north of Europe, and in some 

 parts of North America. 



LYCOPODIUM CLAVATUM, Linnaeus. Common Club-moss. 

 (Plate XX. fig. 6.) 



This sort of Club-moss is of procumbent habit, having 

 vigorous creeping stems often many feet in length, much 



