62 
F I L I C E S 
BRITANNIC^. 
E Q^U I S E T U M arvenfe. 
Lin, Sp, PI 1516. Flo, Angl, 447. Scot, 647. Cant, 344. Ray 
Syn. 130. Ger, Em, 1114. Park, 1202. 
FAB. XXXIV. 
CORN HORSETAIL. 
^"T^HE root is of a dark brown or blackiiE colour, jointed at equal 
diftances, emits numerous black fibres from the joints, and creeps 
to a great diftance under the furface. 
The fertile fhoots at make their appearance about the end of 
March ; the flowering fpike being at firfl: hidden under the brown im¬ 
bricated vagina ; when the fpike firfl: appears it is of a greenifli colour, 
afterwards changes to brown, and when at maturity the valves open, and 
difcharge a pale coloured downy powder, which is the feed. 
The ftem is round, fmooth, hollow, and of a pale pleafant brown, 
it confifts of feven or eight joints, each furrounded by the bafe of a fuf- 
cous vagina, which is a little inflated, and divided at the top in about 
twelve narrow, pointed, brown fegments. This flem very rarely produ¬ 
ces any fecond leaves ; it generally falls and difappears before the appear¬ 
ance of the barren leaves. 
4 
BARREN LEAVES. 
The barren leaves, b, appear in April, and grow from the fame roots 
as the fertile ones; at their firfl coming up the fecond leaves are hidden 
under the vagina, but foon make their appearance in about twelve fhort 
whirls, and form the refemblance of a rough fpike. When full grown it 
is about two feet high from the root to the top, and confifls of fifteen or 
twenty 
