112 DECUMBENT LYCOPODIUMS. 



in drier situations. It I'arely forms large patches, but 

 is seldom absent from suitable localities throughout its 

 range. 



The Fir Club-Moss. 



The fir club-moss (Lycopodiiim selago) is very much 

 like the shining club-moss in general appearance ; but 

 the collector will not often mistake typical specimens, 

 for the reason that they rarely grow in company. In 

 the United States, the fir club-moss is a plant of high 

 mountain summits, and is not plentiful until British 

 America is reached. It is a shorter plant than Lycopo- 

 diiim lucidiilum and seldom reaches a height of more 

 than six inches. The stem forks several times, produc- 

 ing close, flat-topped tufts of branches that are usuall}' 

 erect, but in old or thrifty stems may become decum- 

 bent. Each year the branches add to their length, 

 though, owing to the short seasons in its haunts, the 

 annual additions are not very great. The leaves are a 

 little more than an eighth of an inch long, crowded, 

 narrowly lanceolate with a rather broad base, and are 

 arranged upon the branches in about eight rows. They 

 are somewhat concave on the upper side and curve 

 upward toward the apex of the stem. In typical plants 

 the edges of the leaves are entire and the apex is sharp- 

 pointed. 



The sporangia are borne, in the axils of the leaves as in 

 Lycopodium lucidulum, but although they are no smaller 

 than in that species they are not as conspicuous, owing 

 to the upward-curving leaves. They are also less numer- 

 ous. The sporangia are not found on stems less than 

 one season old, and, since they persist for some time. 



