268 ' COMMON CANADIAN^ WILD, PLANTS. 



moist, and uncoil themselves -H-hen dry. The nse of these 

 - tentacles is doubtless to assist in the escape and dispersion 

 of the spores. 



, The fertile stems will have almost -withered away by the 

 time the sterile ones appear. The latter are of the same 

 thickness.as the fertile ones, hut they are very much taller 

 and are green in colour. Observe, also, the grooving of the 

 sterile stem, and the whorls of 4- angled branches producpd 

 at the nodes. 



^ Aiuiual-stemm&l, not anrviving the wiiiter. 



■I- Fruiting in spring, the fertile stems pale or hrou-nii.li, nmJ enriie.) 

 than the herhaceous sterile stems or branches. 



1. E. arven'SBi L. (Commox Horsbtau..) Fertile stems 

 not branching, 4-10 inches high. Sterile stems slender, 

 taller, with many 4-angular green branches. — Moist sandy 

 or gravelly soil, common. '' 



2. E. praten'se, Ehrh. stems more slender, with 3-siJed 

 simple branches shorter than in E. arvense. Stem-sheaths 

 with shcrt, ovate-lanceolate teeth (those of the branches 

 3-toothed.) The fertile stems x>roduce branches, when older, 

 except at the top, which perishes after fructification. — Low 

 meadows, Atl. Prov. and northward. 



3. E. sylvat'ieum, L. Fertile stems branching. Branches 

 compoundj with loose sheaths, those of the stem having 8-14 

 somewhat blunt teeth, while those of the branches have 4-o 

 (of the hranchlets 3) lance-pointed diverging teeth. Top 

 withering away after fructification. — Damj) shady i^laces, 

 Atl. Prov. and northward. 



-^ 1- Fruiting in summer. Stems all similar, or the fertile contempor- 

 aneous with the sterile ones. 



4. E. palUS'tre, L. Stems 10-18 inches high, slender, 

 very deeply S-9-grooved, the lance-awl-shaped teeth whitisli- 

 margined. — Atl. Prov. and northward. 



5. E. limo'SUm, L. stem 2-5 feet high, slightly many- 

 furrowed. Sheaths appressed, with 10-22 dark-brown^ acute 

 short rigid teeth. — In shallow water. 



