876 Transactions.— Botany. 
Art. XXXV.—On Lycopodium varium, R. Br., and L. billardieri, Spring., 
with Description of a new Form. By T. Kirk, F.L.S. 
{Read before the Wellington Philosophical Society, 26th September, 1883.] 
Plate XXIX 
Ir has long been recognized by New Zealand botanists that the plants 
known as Lycopodium varium and L. billardieri are not separated by any 
absolute characters, the differences relied upon to distinguish the two 
depending chiefly upon the mode of growth and degree of luxuriance ex- 
hibited, but up to the present time no attempt has been made either to 
define the two so-called species by precise and constant characters or to 
enumerate the chief distinctive peculiarities of the varieties comprised 
under each. And in truth this is no easy matter, for a complete series may 
be traced from the short leafy stems, and drooping tetragonous spikes of L. 
varium to the elongated pendulous stems of L. billardieri, and from this: 
form again to the slender drooping stems and foliaceous spikes of an elegant 
variety not hitherto described, so that although the extreme forms may be 
readily distinguished at sight, they are so closely connected by transitional 
forms that it is impossible to lay down characters of sufficient value to be 
available for specific distinction. I am therefore compelled to consider 
` L. billardieri as merely one of the varieties of L. varium, and propose the 
following arrangement of the principal forms. 
Lycopodium varium, R. Br. 
Rhizome short, stems short or elongated, sparingly or excessively 
branched, erect, drooping or pendulous. Leaves 1'-3" long, decurrent, 
linear, lanceolate, obtuse or rarely acute, patent or closely appressed, gra- 
dually passing into the abbreviated bracts of the spike. Spikes simple or 
branched, sessile, tetragonous or foliaceous. 
a. varium. 
r 
L. varium, R. Br. in Fl. Prod. Aust.; Hook. f. F. Nov. Zel., Handbk. N.Z. Fl. 
Stems 6-15" high, erect, sparingly branched, rigid, leaves 3” long, 
spreading; spikes short, drooping, compact, tetragonous. 
Rupestral, rarely epiphytal. In mountain districts: Great Barrier 
Island ; Cape Colville ; South Island; Chatham Island. . 
The most robust of all the varieties, and usually exhibiting the broadest 
leaves. The spikes are stouter than in other varieties and rarely become 
branched ; they show no tendency to become foliaceous. 
The most characteristic specimens that I have seen were collected by 
Mr. H. H. Travers on the Chatham Islands and by myself on Mount Young. 
B. polaris. 
Stems erect, 14'-2' high, branched from the base, lower leaves spread- 
ing, upper appressed and imbricating; spikes drooping, simple or branched, 
