THE CREEPING SELAGINELLA 

 GROUP. 



HE genus Sclaginella contains by far 

 the greater number of the fern allies, 

 and the sub-genus StacJiygynandrnui, 

 to which our creeping species belong, 

 comprises nearly three fourths of the 

 species in the genus. The sub-genus, 

 however, was not founded upon the 

 creeping habit, for many of the spe- 

 cies have erect or ascending stems, 



but all agree in having two sorts of leaves like our creep- 

 ing species, thus sharply distinguishing them from the 

 relatives of Sclaginella rnpcstris. Notwithstanding the 

 great number of species in this section it is very poorly 

 represented in North America. It is a characteristically 

 tropical group, and our species seem in the nature of un- 

 usual extensions northward. 



The Creeping Selaginella. 



The creeping selaginella par excellence, and the least 

 conspicuous, is the one known to botanists as Selaginella. 

 apus. What the curly grass or the little grape fern is to 

 our other ferns, this species is to its relatives among the 



