THE COMMON ADDERS TONGUE. 
clongate, acutish or obtuse, pale yellowish-green, 
branch sm 
silo, broadly-ovate or ov 
ke terminating а more or less elongated footstalk 
Fertile branch erect, consisting of a simpl 
which appears erile branch ; spike linear, very slightly tapering 
spring from the inner b 
upwards. Occasionally more than one fertile spike is produced, but it is very seldom that more than ono 
frond is produced from each crown, 
Venition of the barren branch consisting of a series of uniform reine (no midvein) everywhere 
anastomosing, and forming a series of narrow elongated hexagonal areoles, those towards the circum: 
veins (venules) dividing the 
horter and broader ; within these aro a series of le 
similar form. From the sides of these arcoles, branch, more or less 
areoles into other smaller ones 
abundantly, short divaricate, free included veinlets, which are usually 
the linear spike, which terminates the contract 
Fruetification occupying th 
branch, Spore-cases smooth, spherical, without rings or reticulations, embedded in a single series in 
h margin of the spike, bursting transversely, and then forming gaping concavities which give a 
toothed appearance to the margins, Spores verruculate 
Duration. ‘The crowns and roots are perennial The fronds are annual, growing up in May 
reaching maturity in June or July, and then gradually drying up and perishing. 
‘Tongue, with its broad oval barren branch, and linear fertile branch, is so unlike other 
The Adder's 
‚ns, that it may be at once distinguished by these features. Its simple barren branch docs 
British 
not present much variation, the principal differences lying between a short broad oval outline, and а 
more elongated oval approaching to lanceolate 
ит of Presl, 
A somewhat. marked variety, however, — 0. vulgatum minus— perhaps the 0. az 
me in Orkney. This is а much smaller 
(Hochstett, Hb. Azor. Un. п. 165) has been found by Mr. Sy 
plant, the barren branches of a narrow oval outline, and the plant reaching maturity in September, at 
which period the common form has decayed, The venation is the same as in the common form. The 
ne botanists to unite O. vulgatum with 
of this plant have induced so 
small size and narrow ou 
0. lusitanicum, us forms of one species, the plant now referred to being taken as one of principal 
connecting links; but this combination is surely carrying the so-called reduction of false species to an 
‘unnecessary length, and is at least as confusing as the opposite practice, 
Though of similar habit to the Botrychinm, this plant is more readily cultivated. The roots should 
oken, in sods of the soil in which they grow, and these should be planted 
be taken up without being b 
in similar soil, in any moderately exposed situation, where the roots may be moist and cool, but not liable 
pla 
and in consequence *gardenesqu 
їз which seem to derive 
to excessive wetness, Loamy soilis generally preferred. It is one of tho 
neatness is 
benefit from the shade of surrounding het 
inimical to it 
