DECUMBENT LYCOPODIUMS. 



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stem and stand out neai'Iy at right angles to it, except 

 those at the tips of the stems, which are erect. The new 

 and spreading growth, springing from the midst of the 

 erect leaves, marlcs the stem with regular zones of 

 spreading and appressed leaves, by which the age of the 

 plant may be told. On old parts of the stem, the leaves 

 are usually reflexed. The leaves, though short, are the 

 largest borne by any North American species, and are 

 further distinguished by their very firm texture and 

 dark-green colour. 



The spores are borne in kidney-shaped sporangia, one 

 of which is found in the axil of each of the ordinary 

 spreading leaves near the tips of the stems. This in 

 appearance is a wide departure from the usual way of 

 fruiting, but when one considers that the difference is 

 simply that in fruiting the leaves are not changed in 

 shape and colour, a fundamental resem- 

 y.-, blance is easily seen. One other difference 



marks the fruiting of this species, — the ends 

 '^a'.- ■ of the fruitinsj-branches continue to sirow, 

 vJ;';'/ and the new leaves of one }'ear become 

 the spore-bearing leaves of the following 

 ' MS^^ season. Thus each stem has in time several 

 •';' " zones of sporangia. In some cases there 



Sporangia. ;|,-g a.t Icast six of thcse zones. The spor- 

 angia are bright yellow, and quite noticeable among tlie 

 green leaves, but the spores do not appear to be very 

 abundant. The empty spore-cases often remain upon 

 the stems for )'ears. 



In addition to the ordinarj/ means of reproduction by 

 spores and the less common multiplication by the 

 division of the stem, this species produces numerous 

 small bulblets that are capable of forming new plants. 



