THE CREEPING SELAGINELLA GROUP. i6i 



spreading at nearly right angles to the stem, and the 

 upper leaves nearly parallel to it. Both kinds are occa- 

 sionally ciliate at base. The spores are borne in distinct 

 four-sided cones, about half an inch long, on the tips of 

 the branches. The tips of the sporophylls are blunt, 

 and until maturity are closely appressed to the stem. 

 The cone alone is nearly sufficient to distinguish the 

 species. Our illustration was made from specimens col- 

 lected in northern Oregon, kindly sent by Mr. J. B. 

 Flett. 



"The Resurrection Moss. 



There are two principal ways by which the scanty 

 vegetation of the more arid parts of the earth manages 

 to exist in spite of the lack of moisture. In plants like 

 the cactus, with a thick epidermis, the moisture accumu- 

 lated during the occasional rains is carefully hoarded and 

 very slowly given back to the air. In other plants, lack- 

 ing this thick epidermis, it has been found possible to 

 dry up in the intervals between rains and revive again at 

 the first return of moisture. Many ferns and various 

 flowering-plants have this faculty, but none are better 

 known because of it than the little plant called the 

 resurrection moss {Sclaginclla Icpidopliylla). This is 

 due in large measure to the itinerant venders, who, in 

 their efforts to sell specimens of it, have told many won- 

 derful stories about it. It is commonly asserted that it 

 needs only to be placed in \\'ater for a day to develop a 

 handsome spike of flowers. The truth of the matter is 

 that, when dried, the plant curls up, forming a compact 

 brown ball which may be preserved in that condition for 

 months, and then, upon being placed in water, will uncoil 



