EQUISETACB^K. 



1027 



8 or 9 lines long, at a considerable dis- 

 tance from each other, and have seldom 

 more than about 10 lanceolate teeth, and 

 are dark only in the upper part. Barren 

 stems 1 to 2 feet high, with slender 

 spreading branches, about 10 to 12 in 

 each whorl ; these are sometimes slightly 

 branched, but never regularly so as in 

 the wood E. 



In fields and waste or moist places, 

 throughout Europe and Russian Asia, 

 from the Mediterranean to the Arctic 

 regions, and in Ts orth America. Abun- 

 dant in Britain. Fr. spring. 



Fk. 1250. 



3. Wood Equisetum. Equisetum sylvaticum. 

 (Fig. 1251.) 

 (Eng. Bot. t, 1874.) 



Fruiting stems at first nearly simple, 

 and about a foot high, but soon branched, 

 like the barren ones. Sheaths about half 

 an inch long, divided into about 6 or 8 

 lanceolate, scarious lobes, broader than 

 in our other Fquisetums. Spike about 

 6 to 8 lines long, obtuse. Branches, both 

 of the barren and fertile stems, 10 to 16 

 or more in a whorl, very slender, but not 

 above 2 or 3 inches long, and remark- 

 able for bearing, at the lower nodes at 

 least, whorls of 2, 3, or more smaller 

 branches, which gives the plant a very 

 elegant tufted appearance. 



In wet woods, and shady places, in 

 temperate and northern Europe and 

 Russian Asia, from northern Italy and 

 the Caucasus to the Arctic regions, and 

 in iS'orth America. Spread all over 

 Britain, but more abundant in Scotland 

 and northern England and Ireland than 

 in the south. Fr. summer, or commencing in spring. 



Linn. 



Fig. 1251. 



