424 FLORA VITIENSIS. 
Equisetum, Amb. Eguiseta hiemalia, A. Braun. Eguiseta stichopora, A. Braun. Eguiseta 
cryptopora, Milde. Sclerocaulon, Doll. 
leviter sulcatus, debilis; carinze 8-32 et complures 
truncate v. fragmentis dentium vestitz, breves, 
foliola subplana; carina media angulata sub vagine 
margine evanescente et lineis tuberculorum plus minus exsertis singulis marginalibus; dentibus 
lanceolato-subulatis medio atro-fuscis membranaceis 2—4-nis basi et sub apice connatis plerumque 
truncatis; rami 1-4-ni, irregulariter dispositi, 8-co-anguli, cauli simillimi. Epidermidis lumen 
amplum ; cellule undulatz, stomatum cryptop. series 1-lineate 6 et compluribus cellulis interpositis ; 
stite; lacuna centralis + et amplior, 
carinse convexze nudee v. fasciis; vallecule plerumque rosulis ve 
valleculares magne oblonge.—Eguisetum debile, Roxb. mss. ex Vauch. Monogr. Preles. (Mem. Soc. 
Phys. et Hist. Nat. Gen. vol. i. p. 887) ; Milde, Monogr. l.c. p. 477. un. 17. HE. aguaticum, Noronh. 
Verb. Bat. Gen. vol. v. (1790) p. 14? #. Timortanum, Vauch. l. c. p. 376. E. palleus, Wall. Cat. 
n. 1037. E. laxum, Blume, Enum. Pl. Jav. p. 274. E. virgatum, Blume, l. c. p. 274. LE. elongatum, 
Mett. in Ann. Sc. Nat. ser. 4. tome iv. (1861) p. 87. E. hiemale, Mett. in Pl. Ind. Or. edid. 
Hohenacker, n. 1240. E. Huegelii, Milde in Verhandl. Zool. Bot. Gesell. Wien, 1861, p. 356. 
Nomen vernac. Vitiense, “Masi ni tabua.””—Growing socially and in great abundance on low 
swampy banks of the river Navua, Island of Viti Levu (Seemann! n. 697). Also collected at 
Aneitum, New Hebrides (Milne and M‘Gillivray!), and New Caledonia (Vieillard !), and Japan. 
Widely diffused over tropical Asia and the Archipelago. 
The Vitian native name, “ Masi ni tabua,’’ of this plant relates to its use of polishing whales’ teeth 
(tabua) with it. “Masi” is also the name of a wild Fig (Ff. scabra), the rough leaves of which are used 
(as are those of the Sandpaper-tree (Cwratella) in tropical America) for polishing and scouring things. 
No Egquisetum has as yet been found in New Holland, but until recently it was not known that £. 
debile existed in the Polynesian Islands, and it is very probable that, like many other Asiatic types, it 
may also be found on the continent of Australia. 
1. H. debilis, Seem.; caulis sublevis, 
valleculis multo angustiores; vagin cylindrice, 
longiores quam late, ore paulum v. non ampliato ; 
