376 
LYCOPODIACE^. 
Brandon, &c. in Ireland : and I have noticed that it is frequently 
found at a greater elevation than L. alpinum^ an observation 
confirmed by Mr. W. Thompson, and other observant botanists. 
Still it descends very nearly to the sea level, occurring on the 
heaths of Surrey, in the forests of Sussex, and in hundreds of 
localities throughout the southern and midland counties : indeed 
so numerous are these that I should not be justified in giving 
them all, and were I to select some and omit others I should be 
guilty of injustice to many who have kindly taken great pains 
to supply me with information. 
On the Welch mountains I have observed that only a portion 
of the plants appear to be in a thriving and healthy condition, 
the larger ones almost invariably being loaded with fructifica- 
tion, and exhibiting symptoms of incipient decay. With the 
exception of Dillenius I think no author has noticed this pecu- 
liarity ; and this learned writer rationally concludes that each 
plant exists for a definite term and then dies.* Whether the 
term of its existence be biennial, triennial, or longer, I leave for 
future observers to decide ; but I have not the slightest doubt 
that its existence has a fixed term, as suggested by the great 
museologist. 
The figures of this plant can scarcely fail of being charac- 
teristic, its appearance is so different from that of our other 
species : Dillenius figures several varieties, all of them very 
expressive of its distinguishing features. These varieties appear 
to be the result of locality : when last at the Birmingham Bo- 
tanic Garden, Mr. Cameron called my attention to some living 
specimens which he had himself collected on the Titterstone 
Clee hill ; in these the lower leaves were considerably narrower 
and somewhat reflexed, and the plants (as indeed do all from the 
same locality) exhibited a uniform although scarcely describable 
difference from those of Scotland, the North of England, and 
Caernarvonshire ; and these again differ from the specimens 
* Quum ante 14 annos montes Caml»ria5 plantarum gratia peragrarem, Au- 
gusti fine, plures plantas semiaridee et quaedam mortuae mihi visae sunt, cum 
initio liujus mensis omnes virerent ; id vero tarn in majoribus quam in medife 
magnitudinis plantis mihi observatum. Ex quo singulas aliquot annos durare 
et postea interire conjicio. — Hist. Muse. 436. 
