Equisetutn.] 
FERNS. 
79 
Often confounded with Equisetum palustre, of which by some of the older 
botanists it was considered only a variety. It is, however, very distinct, and 
may easily be distinguished by not bearing branches till late in the season, after 
the catkin has decayed ; its branches also are less numerous, shorter, and either 
scattered over the plant or in irregular whorls ; it has shorter and more 
numerously-toothed sheaths, which are pressed close to the stem. The whole 
plant is smoother, and has shorter, thicker, and nearly sessile catkins. 
Sit. — In low swampy ground, sides of streams, &c. 
Hab. — Not so common as Equisetum palustre, but pretty generally distri- 
buted. Moray and Ross-shire, Rev. G. Gordon. Tees, Mr. J. Hogg. Cheshire, 
Lancashire, and Cumberland, Mr. H. C. Watson. Wensley Dale, Yorkshire, 
Mr. J. Ward. Needwood Forest, Staffordshire, and Gamlingay Bogs, Cam- 
bridgeshire. River Severn, near Shrewsbury, Hancott Pool, ditto, Mr. IV. 
Leighton. Near Wrexham, Mr. J. E. Bowman. Warwickshire, Rev. W. Bree. 
Leicestershire, Rev. A. Bloocam. Derbyshire, Dr. Howitt. Norfolk, Miss Bell. 
Somerset, Mr. Southby. Sussex and South Kent, Rev. G. E. Smith. Near 
Bristol, Miss Worsley. Frequent in Ireland, Mr. Mackay. 
Geo. — Holland, Switzerland, and other parts of Europe. 
G.— EQUISETUM PALUSTRE. 
MARSH HORSE-TAIL. 
(Plate IX, fig. 6.) 
Cha. — Stem erect, naked or branched, rough. Sheaths long, 
loose. Teeth few and long, 
Syn. — Equisetum palustre of all English botanists. — Equisetum nodosum, 
Schr. — Equisetum ramosum, Sc hi. 
Fig .—E. B. 2021.— Bolt. 35 .—Flo. Dan. 1183.— Lob. Icon. 795.— Ger. Her. 
1114. — Schk. 1G8, 169. 
Des. — Root creeping. Stem upright, branched throughout, 6 to 
12 inches high, dark green, deeply channeled. Branches five-sided, 
simple, ascending, six to ten in a whorl, a less number of and shorter 
branches upwards. Catkins terminal, cylindrical, tapering, on a 
long stalk, erect ; found in May and June, sometimes before the 
branches, at other times appearing long after the stem becomes 
branched. Sheaths large, loose, with a few long tapering black teeth. 
/ 3 ( alpinum ), smaller, upper branches abortive, 
y ( polystachion ), upper branches elongated and fruitful. 
The second variety is always found in such situations as convince us that its 
peculiar conformation arises from its being nipped by frost or cropped by cattle, 
especially as when thus proliferous, the main stem is almost always injured at the 
top ; a proof that here, as often is the case with Flowering Plants, the early 
flowers being by any cause destroyed, the plant makes an effort to repair the 
loss at a later season of the year by producing others. 
