78 
EQUISETACE.E. 
The name of this species is now universally received, and I 
am not aware that any doubt exists as to its being the Equise- 
tum arvense of Linneus, although there is some confusion in the 
nomenclature of the specimens in the Linnean herbarium, as 
already shown The barren stem of this plant is without doubt 
the ^ Equisetum arvense longiorihus setis ’ of Ray’s ^ Synopsis,’t 
and it also seems to me that the ^ Equisetum pratense longiori- 
hus setis ’ of the same w’ork, although added by the careful Dil- 
lenius, is the same plant. Still this latter has sometimes been 
considered distinct as a species, and identical with the conti- 
nental E. pratense, which is so carefully described by Roth,:|; 
and previously, although not so fully, by Ehrhart.§ Roth, how- 
ever, admits that he had never seen the catkin, and the circum- 
stance of this being found on a branch-bearing stem forms the 
chief diagnostic of the species. Willdenow, who describes the 
species, II confesses he has not seen it at all, and almost every 
other author omits it altogether : thus it appears not improbable 
that some form of E. arvense was the plant originally intended. 
The ‘ Equisetum nudum minus hasiliense ’ of Ray can be none 
other than the fertile stem of E. arvense, as I think is sufficiently 
proved by the following passage. — “ This was first shew’d to 
Mr. Lawson at Great Salkeld, but grows in so great plenty there 
and every where on the banks of the River Eden, that he could 
not but wonder that this was the first time of its being observ’d 
in England. ’Tis an early and quickly fading Vernal Plant, 
which might probably be the Occasion of its not being hitherto 
taken notice of by those curious Gentlemen, who commonly be- 
gan their Circuits too late in the Year for such a Discovery .”H 
The ‘ Equisetum nudum minus variegatum hasiliense ’ of Bau- 
hin,'*'"'^ is quoted by Smith as synonymous with his E i variegatum, 
and by Linneus as synonymous with his E. hyemale, which 
* Appendix C. f Syn. 130. 
I Roth, Flor. Germ. iii. 6. § Ehrhart, Beitrage, iii. 77, n. 36. 
II Species Plantanim, v. 6. 
Th. Robinson Ess. towards Natural History of Westin. and Ciiinberl. 
p. 92, as quoted in Ray’s Synopsis, p. 130. 
Pin. 16, Prodr. 24, Tbeatr, 250, no f. 
