iiS DECUMBENT LYCOPODIUMS. 



which never come to fruition. These hitter are borne on 

 the branches or on the newer parts of the main stem, and 

 are doubtless produced too hite in the season to be fruit 

 ful. In exposed places throughout its range there is 

 found growing with the type a form that by some has 

 been considered a species and named Lycopodiuin 

 adpressiim. It differs from the type in being somewhat 

 smaller, with shorter, thicker, less spreading leaves, 

 and with slender fruiting-stems clothed with appressed 

 leaves in shape like those of the sterile stems. The fruit- 

 spikes are from one to four inches long, and about twice 

 the diameter of the stems that support them, the sporo- 

 phylls being rather broader at base than in the type. 

 Owing to the appressed leaves, the fruiting parts are 

 more distinct and cone-like than those of the type. 

 The spores are produced in great abundance. Sev- 

 eral fertile stems are usually produced on each plant, 

 and the upright sterile stems noticeable in the typical 

 Lycopodiuin alopccuroides are also plentiful. All the char- 

 acteristics in which this form differs from typical plants 

 are such as might be produced by an unusual amount of 

 light and heat, and the exposed situations in wliich the 

 plants grow seem fully to account for this appearance. 

 Under these circumstances it seems better to call this 

 a sub-species and to name it Lycopodiiim alopccuroides 

 adpresstun. Although this form has always been known 

 by the name oi adpressuin, whether treated as a species or 

 as a variety, it has recently been proposed to change it to 

 Cliapniani, because the name adpressuin was earlier ap- 

 plied to another plant. If considered as a variety, our 

 plant would now be called Lycopodiuin alopccuroides 

 Chapmani. 



A curious form of adpresstun was found on Staten 



