tab. lxxiy. 
Equisetum giganteum, L. 
Caule erecto stricto 10-14-pedali et ultra diametro unciam 
sequiunciam arete striato keviusculo copiose verticillatim 
ramoso, ramis patentissimis numerosis 6-12 uncias longis 
o-racllibus semilineam ad lineam latis simplicibus vel parce 
ramulosis asperiusculis, caulis vaginis unciam longis (sic- 
citate pallide testaceis), dentibus subulatis aterrimis magis 
minusve unitis srepe semiunciam longis, lamoium dentibus 
parvis liberis albis rarius atris, amentis ovato-cylindraeeis 
acutis semipollicaribus. 
Equisetum giganteum, Linn. Sp. PI p- 1517, Willd. Sp. PI. 
5. p. 9. 
Equisetum Poeppigianum ; A. Braun, Mst. in Fil. Lecliler. 
p. 21, and in Lechl PI Peruv, n. 1556, f. 2, name onhj. 
Equisetum ramosum, altissimum, Plumier, Plant. Amer. 2, 
p. 115. t. 125. 
Hab. West Indies, Plumier ; J amaica, Sloane; Arica, Peru, 
Lecliler. 
We are accustomed to see in geological collections fossil 
specimens of gigantic European Equiseta , sucb as neither 
Europe nor any part of the old world now possess in a living 
state : but tropical America affords the present remarkable 
existing species which almost vies with the fossil forms above 
alluded to. Plumier has well represented a portion of the 
plant from Martinique. Sloane, and Patrick Brown, and 
Lunan record a very large 11 arborescent” Equisetum in Ja- 
maica, no doubt this species. Lechler’s specimens arc very 
much broken, for the plant seems very fragile, and our 
representations are all fragmentary. Lechler found it at 
Arica in Peru. No author however has made any mention of 
its height. Our friend, Mr. Spruce, in all probability alludes 
to this species when writing from the interior of. South 
America, of a gigantic species of Equisetum, 20 feet high ! 
Tab. LXXIY. Fig. 1,2, 3. Portions from different parts 
of a main stem of Equisetum giganteum L. ; and f. 4. Fertile 
branch of the same; natural size. f. 5. Young spike or 
amentum of flowers ; not yet emerged from its sheath, slightly 
magnified, f. C. Fully formed spike, ditto; f • 7. Front 
view of a fertile scale of the amentum ; f. 8. Side view ol 
ditto; and/. 9 and 10. Capsules with their clavate, spiral fila- 
ments ; — magnified. 
Cent. 2. t. 74. 
