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on the ground and cover patches of several feet in extent, solitary spikes 
about one inch long on one to two inch long peduncles. 
“The L. carolinianum, L. accompanies the last mentioned species, (L. 
inundatum,) throughout the temperate and warm parts of the American con- 
tinent, and has also a very wide range through other countries, having been 
found in tropical and South Africa, the East Indies, Madagascar, Tasmania, 
and New Zealand ; these two constitute part of a natural section allied to 
the Clavatum group in the spiked, more or less pedunculate fructifications, and 
ascending direction of the leaves on the prostrate stems, and to the Complana- 
tum division in the tendency of the leaves of L. carolinianum to become dis- 
tichous and decurrent, the other species of it are L. selaginoides, L. and L. 
pygmoeum, Kaulf.” Hooker 1. c. 114. 
When spending some days with Professor Dickie of Aberdeen in 1875, 
and making notes on the best kinds of coal for producing gas, specimens were 
exhibited, and mounted sections of them examined under the microscope ; 
proving according to Dr. Dickie that nearly all the good coals on which 
a scratch of a knife, &c. made a yellow mark were nearly entirely composed 
of the capsules of species of Lycopodium. 
SELAGINELLACEyE. 
Sel ginella, Bauvias . 
Jungermannia-like or fern-like plants, frequently creeping ; the stems 
usually much dichotomously branched, clothed with leaves of two forms, 
disposed in four rows. The fructifications form angulate spikes. This 
genus is separated from Lycopodium on account of its producing two kinds 
of spore-cases. The stems usually bear two kinds of leaves, the larger 
disposed in a distichous manner, stipuliform ones being placed between 
them. Moore, Index Filicum. p. cxxviii. 
Spring’s Monograph of the Lycopodiaceae, referred to by authors and 
quoted by Dr. Thwaites for the species of Selaginella, I have not seen and 
therefore I take the references to this author from Dr. T. All our Ceylon 
Selaginellas are so different in appearance and in the size of their parts, 
compared with the Lycopodiums enumerated above, that they are easily 
distinguished from them. The two genera were formerly included as 
Lycopodiums. 
233. Selaginella rupestris Spring. 
Mon. Lycop. pt. 2, p. 55. Lycopodium rupestris, Linn. Willd. Sp. 
pi. v. p. 30, C. P. 1412. Len-pahuru, Sin. Found at Dambul by the late 
Dr. Gardner. I have not collected this plant ; my only specimen was received 
from Mr. Beckett, found on the rock near the Dambul Rest-house. The 
specimen indicates that it is allied to the singular South American S. 
convoluta which has the fronds curiously curled in and contracted when dry, 
so as to form a ball like the rose of Jericho, which expands when moistened. 
The late Major Skinner used to exhibit a specimen of S. involuta which 
he had in a dried state for years, but which on being placed in water would 
expand and look quite like a growing plant. The S. rupestris is a small 
apparently erect plant, difficult to cultivate. It was found by Moon on 
rocks in Lower Uva. 
234 SelaginelU stolonifera, Spring. 
Mon. 209. Lycopodium stoloniferum, Sw. Willd. 1. c. 40. C. P. 1412. 
This is a very abundant plant in the damp forests of the Kandyan country, 
where it often spreads to a considerable extent, sending down wiry roots 
from its several divisions for its support. It is a handsome plant with large 
metallic looking leaves when growing in rich soil in the dense shade of 
the forest. It has been occasionally grown in Colombo, but is impatient 
of exposure and dryness of weather. Stolouifera seems an unfortunate 
name for this one in a genus with so many stoloniferous species, 
