. Elementary botany . Fig. 235. Spore oi equisetum ,\ith elaters coiled up. Fig. 236. Spore of equisetum with elaters un- coiled. vided with numerous branches. If we ex- amine the stem of this shoot, and of the branches, we will see that the same kind of leaves are present and that the markings on the stem are similar. Sinee the leaves of the horsetail are membranous and not green, the stem is green in color, and this per- forms the function of carbon conversion. These green shoots live for a great part of the season, building up material which is carried down into the underground stems, where
. Elementary botany . Fig. 235. Spore oi equisetum ,\ith elaters coiled up. Fig. 236. Spore of equisetum with elaters un- coiled. vided with numerous branches. If we ex- amine the stem of this shoot, and of the branches, we will see that the same kind of leaves are present and that the markings on the stem are similar. Sinee the leaves of the horsetail are membranous and not green, the stem is green in color, and this per- forms the function of carbon conversion. These green shoots live for a great part of the season, building up material which is carried down into the underground stems, where it goes to supply the forming fertile shoots in the fall. On digging up some of these plants we see that the underground stems are often of great extent, and that both fertile and sterile shoots are attached to one and the same. 384. The scouring rush, or shave grass. —Another common species of horsetail in the Northern States grows on wet banks, or in sandy soil which contains moisture along railroad embankments. It is the scouring rush (E. hyemale), so (ailed because it was once used for polishing purposes. This plant like all the species of the horsetails has
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1890, bookpublisher, booksubjectbotany
