^34 



A very stiff species, both in stems and leaves, but variable in its 

 degree of branching in some cases lax, in others very dense, and 

 having the branchlets short. The stems of the spikes are several 

 inches higti, and decresceat in size upwards, and thinly clothed with 

 minute subulate leaves. The spikes have shorter pedicels from ^-i in. 1. 

 The leaves quite conceal the stems of the ordinary branches, though 

 not of the primary and final ones In forest an I half-open places at 

 3,000-5,000 ft. altitude it covers acres in uninterrupted extent in many 

 places. L. aristatum, H. B. K. is the common American form. 



4. L. cernuum, Linn. — Stems cylindric, strong, repent, thinly clothed 

 with small linear-acuminate leaves, and throwing up at intervals erect 

 pyramidal or plumose fertile branches, which are I- 1 J ft. high, with 

 numerous tiers of spreading branches alternate in direction to each 

 other, thus forming the plumose habit ; these branches again freely 

 branched with spreading branchlets, which are fertile at their tips ; 

 leaves in several series, dense, not flat, spreading and up-curved, ^ li, 

 w., 1 li. 1 seta-like, main rachis clothed sparsely like the primary stem ; 

 spikes from a line to an in. 1 , l-lj li. diameter ; bracts ovate -acuminate, 

 the margins fringed. PI. t. 163, Bak. Fern. Al. p. 23. 



Readily recognised by iis pyramidal or plumose habit, resembling 

 young fir trees, each branchlet terminated by a pala coloured recurved 

 catkin. These vary in length in the plaots froin different countries. 

 In the local states they are from 1-6 li. 1. so far as I have seen, but 

 may perhaps be in some cases more, as specimens from Venezuela and 

 Brazil have them from J-1 in. 1. It grows both in shaded and exposed 

 places, and on both wet and dry ground. In (juiana it reaches 8 ft 

 high, supported by the bushes among which it grows. 



5. L. verticillaCum, Linn. — Stem erect, forked nearly from the base ; 

 branches erecto- spreading, many times dichotomous, leafy throughout, 

 l-l J li. in diameter including the foliage ; not decrescent outwards, or 

 hardly so, stiff ; final branchlets l-lj in. 1 from the fork, widely 

 divaricating ; leaves flat, stiff, straight, rather spreading, 1-2 li. 1., 

 subulate, whorled and close, in several series ; fertile leaves rather 

 widened at the base over the capsules, which are orbicular-cordate. 

 Baker Fern Al. p. 14. L. acerosum, Sw. 



Infrequent, terrestrial in shady places ; gathered at Old England, 

 near the Grovt. Cinchona Plantations, at 4,000 ft. alt. Though the 

 slenderest, this is the stiff est plant of this division. The leaves are 

 larger than in cernuum, and flat stiff and straight, about Jth of a line 

 w. or less. The multi-forked branches rise to about 6 or 9 inches above 

 the ground and extend laterally as much, forming low compact spread- 

 ing plants. Of all the species it is one of the most freely branched, 

 and the leaves are so inconspicuous that the plants appear to consist of 

 little more than flexuose much forked diverging slender branches. 



6. L. reflexumyhsLm. — Branches erect, from J-IJ ft. high, repeatedly 

 dichotomous, close and parallel, strong and rather stoutish, ribbed ; 

 leaves plain-edged or faintly serrated, reflexed, J in. 1. grd.-^ li. w. 

 broadest at the rather rounded base, linear-subulate, crowded, in several 

 series; sporangia abundant, exposed, reniform J-J li. w., much expanded 

 PL t. 166. L. r ever sum, PresL Baker Fern AL p. 11. 



