[ 233 1
C RY P TO G AM IA Mifcellanes.
Gen. Char. Capfules axillary, folitary, naked, kidney-
fhaped, of two elaftic valves and one cell. Seeds
numerous, minute.
Spec. Char. Leaves fcattered, in eight feries. Stem
forked, erecl, branches equal at the top. Flowers
fcattered.
S yn. Lycopodium Selago. Linn. Sp. PI. 1565.
Hud/. FI. An. 4 6 3 . With. Bot. A n . v. 3. 70.
Sibth. Cxon. 265.
Selago foliis et facie Abietis. Rail Syn. 106,
S. vulgaris, Abietis rubræ facie. Dill. Mufc. 435«
t. 5 6 .ƒ . i.
T h i s kind of Club-mofs is by far lefs common than that
we have already figured, t. 224, except about the clefts of
rocks in mountainous woods, and on heaths in Wales and the
north of England, where it abounds; and it has even been found
on Felthorpe bogs in Norfolk, a fpot rich in curious plants. It
is perennial, and flowers all fummer long.
Root of many ftrong fibres, not creeping. Stem erefl,
three or four inches high, forked, all the branches making a
level furface at the top, a proper example of caulis fajiigiatus.
It is entirely clothed with bright-green, lanceolate, entire,,
pointed, concave, fhining, permanent leaves, in the axillae of
which, about the uppermoft branches, Hand the capfules (1).
Frequently the plant appears to be viviparous, bearing buds of
young leaves, fome of which we have reprefented (2), inftead
of capfules, an appearance which did not efcape the obferving
Dillenius.
That the dull of the capfules of this plant is really the feeds
is now certain from the experiments of Mr. Fox of Norwich,
who has raifed plants from it. See Tranf. of the Linn. Society *
vol. ii. 315.