-* 
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552 THE EQUISETUM FAMILY. [ Lquisetum. 
[#. Moore, Newm., is an annual variety found near the sea in Wicklow, 
with looser sheaths, and truncate teeth. | 
9. E. trachyodon, A. Braun. (fig. 1271). Long Equisetum.—Very 
near LH. hyemale, with the same little conical point to the spike, and very 
probably a mere variety, differing only in its slender stems, with only 8 to 
12 or seldom more striz ; the sheaths have seldom any black ring round 
the base, though they often turn black altogether, and the teeth have 
nsually lanceolate, subulate points. The stem terminating the stock has 
usually a few long branches, especially from the lower whorls, and varies 
from 1 to 2 feet high or more; the lower stems are simple, slender, and 
shorter, all usually bearing a spike. H. ramosum of former editions. £. 
Mackai, Newm. - : 
In sandy, moist places, generally dispersed over Europe, Russian Asia, 
and North America. In Britain, apparently confined to Scotland and 
north-east Ireland. #7. summer, rather late. 
10, &. variegatum, Schleich. (fig. 1272). Variegated Hquisetum.— 
This is again considered by some, and perhaps correctly, as a variety of 
EE. hyemale. Stems slender, all simple, or very rarely branched, usually 
in several tufts, 6 to 8 inches high, but the terminal or central one some- 
times lengthened out to 1 or 2 feet, with only 8 to 10 striz; the sheaths 
short, with a conspicuous black ring, and short teeth. Spike seldom half 
an inch long, with a conical point as in EL. hyemale. 
In maritime sands, or on the sandy banks of rivers, sometimes quite in 
water, in the maritime or mountain districts of Europe and Russian Asia, 
especially in the north, and in North America. In Britain, chiefly in 
Scotland, Ireland, and the coasts of northern England. Jr. swmmer, 
rather late. : 
XCIV. FILICES, THE FERN FAMILY. 
Herbs, with a perennial, short, or tufted, or creeping root- 
stock (in some exotic species growing up into a tall, woody 
stem), or rarely annual ; with radical or alternate leaves, which, 
as they also partake of the nature of branches, are distinguished 
by the name of fronds. In most genera these fronds are, when 
young, rolled inwards at the top, and the rootstock, and somie- 
times also the stalks of the fronds, are more or less covered with 
brown, scarious, usually pointed scales. Fructification consist- 
ing of capsules, called spore-cases (sporangia), sometimes small 
and almost dust-like, arranged either in clusters, called sori, on 
the under surface of the frond, and often covered, when young, 
with a thin membrane, called the zmduszwm, or in little invo- 
lucres on the margin of the frond ; sometimes rather larger, in 
spikes or panicles at the top of the frond, which has, lower 
down, either leafy branches or one leaf. These capsules open 
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