378 
LYCOPODIACEiE. 
risen above the stunted herbage with which it is commonly sur-= 
rounded, and has thus subjected itself to the action of the vio- 
lent winds that seem to be almost incessantly sweeping the 
mountain-sides. 
The stems are repeatedly dichotomous, stout, rigid, somewhat 
flat-topped, and usually erect. 
Every part of the plant is densely clothed with rigid, lanceo- 
late, acute, entire leaves, much resembling those of Lycopodium 
annotinum. At the upper extremity of each branch a portion 
of these leaves become transformed into irregular 6-cleft calyces 
or cups, very closely resembling the perichaetia 
of mosses ; the outermost lobe of the six which 
compose this cup is longer and larger than the 
rest, and of the pair on each side one is gene- 
rally incumbent on the other, so as nearly to 
conceal it ; this was overlooked by Lightfoot, 
who, in speaking of the cup, describes it as 
consisting of four stiff*, lanceolate, incurved, 
This perichaetial cup is shown in the margin, 
and also at a a, in figures 2 and 3 of the cut below. Lightfoot, 
in continuing his description, goes on to say, at the bottom of 
this calyx are five small pellucid substances resembling leaves, 
which are supposed to be analogous to pistils ; these in time 
grow up into three large broad leaves, two united together like 
the hoof of an ox, &c.” I have only examined these parts 
minute leaves. 
when in the mature state. Instead of terming the interior pro- 
cesses leaves^ I should be inclined to say that within each peri- 
chsetial cup already described, is situated a kind of flattened 
