48 FLOWERLESS PLANTS 



already seen, plants not unlike our club mosses 

 played a part in the formation of the coal 

 deposits. These, however, were of enormous 

 size, judging by the fossil remains, and quite 

 unlike the humble representatives which are to 

 be seen nowadays. As has been indicated, the 

 species which is most likely to be met with is 

 the Common Club Moss. This plant is abundant 

 in mountainous districts, but it does not usually 

 occur in the comparatively low-lying lands of 

 the south of England. A species which does 

 grow in moorland districts in the southern 

 counties is L. inundatum, and this has been 

 found distributed over the great tract of coun- 

 try forming the New Forest. It also flourishes 

 in some parts of the north of England, though 

 as a moisture-loving plant it rapidly disappears 

 with the drainage of the land. 



Certain other species of club moss may be 

 found in the mountainous regions of Scotland 

 and Wales, but most of these are very rare or 

 extremely local. Tourists in Switzerland and 

 other Alpine districts abroad should keep a 

 sharp look out for these interesting plants. In 

 passing, it may be pointed out that there are 

 several kinds of club mosses in common culti- 



