Equisetum.] 
PERNS. 
79 
Sit. — On mountain sides, &c. 
Hab. — It attains the summit of Ben-na-Muich-dhu, the loftiest of the 
northern Grampians or Caimgorum range, and the second summit of Britain 
(4320 feet). Common everywhere on the hilly tracts of Britain, especially the 
Scottish Highlands. — Eng. : Helvellyn, Skiddaw, &c. ; on the loftiest rocks of 
Dartmoor, and above Edale Chapel, Derbyshire, Mr. H. C. Watson. Common 
about Settle, Mr. J. Tatham. Coleshill, Warwickshire (rare), Rev. W. Bree. 
Wensley Dale, Yorkshire, Mr. J. Ward. Once seen on Woolston Moss, near 
Warrington, Mr. Wilson. Waldron Down, Sussex, and near Bristol, Miss Worsley. 
Shotover Hill, Oxon, Mr. Baxter. Mansfield Forest, near the Blidworth Gate, 
Mr. T. H. Cooper . — Wales : Frequent on the Welsh mountains, where a variety 
is found with the leaves widely spreading, Mr. W. Wilson . — Ire. : Lough Bray 
and mountains in the south of Ireland (frequent), Irish Flora. Known in Kerry 
as Virgin Mary’s Furze. 
Geo. — Over Europe and North America. (Not in Pursh.) 
EQUISETUM, Linn. HORSE-TAIL. 
A, spike of fruit of Equisetum palustre. B, portion of the stem and branches 
of ditto. C, receptacle magnified. D, under side of a scale of ditto, showing 
the scattering of the spores. E, spore in its young state. F, ditto more advanced, 
and unfolding its filiform appendages. G, ditto spread out. I, transverse section 
of the stem of Equisetum variegatum. J, ditto of Equisetum fluviatile. K, 
longitudinal section of ditto. L, sheath of Equisetum Drummondii. M, longi- 
tudinal section of stem of Equisetum limosum. N, deposit of silex on Equisetum 
Drummondii. 
A widely distributed but not very extensive genus, which inhabits for the most 
part temperate and cold countries. The species now living are all small plants, 
but the fossil remains of the Equisetacece shotv that at some former period gigantic 
specimens must have been frequent. Our plants prefer watery situations and 
strong soil. They may be divided into sections as follows : — 
* Fertile stems naked, Succeeded by branched barren ones. 
** Fertile stems branched from their first growth. 
*** Fertile stems not branched at first, but finally becoming so. 
**** Fertile stems always remaining simple or but slightly branched, barren 
stems the same. 
Equisetum fluviatile, Drummondii, and arvense, belong to the first section ; E. 
sylvaticum to the second ; E. palustre and limosum to the third ; E. variegatum 
hyemale and Mackaii to the fourth. 
