Lycopodium. 



LYCOPODIACEtE. 



509 



Whole plant pale yellowish green. Stem creeping close to the ground and adhering by 

 numerous radicles, throwing up straight and somewhat rigid branches from 2-10 inches or more 

 in height. Sterile branches short, flaccid. Leaves 3-5 lines long, varying from perfectly 

 entire to strongly denticulate, soft : those of the stem, sterile branches and spike, spreading; 

 those of the fertile branches more erect. Spikes from half an inch to more than an inch in 

 length, squarrose with the long subulate leaves, which are dilated at the base. Capsules 

 (antheridia) membranaceous, opening transversely at the base. Spores very minute, pale 

 yellow, spherical. 



Swamps and wet sandy margins of ponds : northern and western part of the State ; the 

 var. on Long Island. Fr. August. After a careful comparison of L. alopecuroides with 

 L. inundatum, I have adopted the opinion of Mr. Tuckerman, that the two plants are not 

 specifically distinct. In both the leaves vary from entire to denticulate, and large specimens 

 of the former are sometimes elongated, 



4. Lycopodium annotinum, Linn. Interrupted Clubmoss. 



Stem long and creeping ; branches ascending and 2 - 3-forked, the divisions simple ; 

 leaves in about 5 rows, linear-lanceolate, mucronate, serrulate, spreading ; spike oblong- 

 cylindrical, sessile ; bracts broadly cordate, acuminate, somewhat squarrose. — Linn. sp. 2. 

 p. 1103 ; Michx. fl. 2. p. 283 ; Engl, hot. t. 1727 ; Pursh, fl. 2. p. 653 ; Torr. compend. 

 p. 388 ; Beck, hot. p. 460 ; Hook. <§• Grev. 1. c. p. 370 ; Tuckerm. I. c. 



Stem prostrate and creeping, often several feet in length, throwing off ascending branches, 

 which are 4-8 inches high ; the sterile and fertile branches similar. Leaves rigid, light 

 green : those of the stem shorter and distant ; those of the branches approximated, 3-5 lines 

 long, remotely serrulate, with a sharp cartilaginous tip. Spike about an inch long ; the bracts 

 closely imbricate, with slightly spreading tips, erosely denticulate, yellowish. Capsules 

 reniform, sessile, opening by a transverse chink at the apex. Sporules spherical, smooth. 



Woods and hill-sides, northern and western counties : frequent. Fr. July. Our plant 

 agrees, in all respects, with the European L. annotinum. 



5. Lycopodium obscurum, Linn. Ground-pine. 



Stems erect, simple below, much branched above, the branches subdivided and more or 

 less spreading ; leaves linear-lanceolate, in 4 - 6 unequal rows, the lateral rows spreading ; 

 spikes 1-3, sessile. — Linn. sjj. 2. p. 1102; Bigel. fl. Bost. p. 385; Torr. cat. pi. in 

 geol. report of N.-York, 1841 ; Oakes, cat. pi. Vermont. L. dendroideum, Michx. fl. 2. p. 

 282 ; Pursh, fl. 2. p. 653 ; Bigel. I. c. ; Hook. exot. fl. t. 7 ; Hook. § Grev. 1. c. p. 368 ; 

 Beck, hot. p. 460; Darlingt. fl. Cest. p. 569. 



Stems arising from a horizontal subterranean caudex, 6-9 inches high ; the lower part 

 clothed with appressed leaves, bushy above : branches 2-3 times forked, and crowded. 



