ON THE NATURAL ORDER LYCOPQDI ACEiE. 
105 
L. phlegmaria is reputed an aphrodisiac. L. Selago is used in 
the Isle of Skye, in the Highlands, and in other places, to fix 
colours in dyeing, instead of alum L. alpinum is used to dye 
woollen cloths of a yellow colour. L. complanatum, and L . cla- 
vatum , are also used as dyes; and, according to M. Vastring, 
woollen cloths boiled with Lycopodiums , especially with L. cla- 
vatum , acquire the property of becoming blue when passed 
through a bath of Brazil wood. 
It is a rather general opinion, that in the earlier ages of the 
world plants of this affinity attained a gigantic size, equalled 
only by that of forest trees. A considerable quantity of re¬ 
mains of organic origin, found in coal mines and similar situa¬ 
tions, have been regarded as plants which possess a structural 
affinity with Coniferae. This affinity is possessed by Lycopo¬ 
diums , as has been already noticed; and those who have spent 
much time in the investigation, have so far established the 
identity, as to render it certain that species, long extinct, belong¬ 
ing to this order, are abundant in such situations, in company with 
Ferns and other allied plants. Those known at the present day 
do not in any instance exceed two or three feet in height; by 
far the greater number are prostrate trailing herbs, having the 
habit and appearance of Mosses , although in many instances 
they are more diffuse. Their distribution over the surface of the 
globe is very similar to that of Ferns , being most abundant in 
humid situations within the tropics, especially in small islands. 
They are found in less abundance in more temperate regions, 
and become rarer as they approach the poles. In the climate 
of Northern Europe, however, and even in Lapland, whole tracts 
are covered w’ith L. alpinum and L. selaginoides. 
The cultivation of Lycopodiums is by no means difficult: the 
hardy kinds succeed perfectly in moist peaty soil, and a selec¬ 
tion of the turfy parts is also a very suitable medium for the 
roots of those grown in pots, which latter are best set into pans 
or feeders of water. They succeed perfectly when suspended 
in baskets, and also when their roots are merely enveloped 
with moss ; in short, wherever moisture is abundant, and there 
exists a sufficiently elevated temperature to meet the wants of 
the several species, there need be no apprehension of their suc¬ 
cess. Some of the delicate trailing kinds may be very aptly 
applied to cover the baskets, and other means by which Orchi¬ 
daceous plants are suspended ; and the hardier trailing species 
. vol. v. no. vr. N 
