

■ 



TAB. XL. 



(A.) 



OPHIOGLOSSUM ELLIPTICUM. 



FILICES. 



Ophioglosse^. Br., Kaulf. Stachyofterides. Willd 



• 





Gen. Char. OPHIOGLOSSUM, Linn. Capsulas nudae in spicam articulatam disticham connatae, 



uniloculares, transverse dehiscentes, bivalves. Willd. 



Ophioglossum ellipticum ; spica caulina longe pedunculata, fronde elliptica obtusa reticulata medi 



radice fibrosa 





Hab. In Demerara, Americae meridionalis ; legit et communicavit amiciss. C. S. Parlier 



Badix e fibris numerosis, longiusculis, simplicibus, fuscescentibus. 



Stipes unciam ad tres uncias longus, erectus, gracilis, fronde terminatus. 



Frons bi-triuncialis, elliptica, membranacea, integerrima, apice obtusiuscula, inferne in stipitem sensim decur] 



reticulata, medio evidenter costata, costa versus apicem obsoletiore. 

 Pedunculus e basi frondis et ex apice stipitis, fronde duplo longior, erectus, teres. 

 Spica sub-biuncialis, lineari-compressa. 

 Capsulae numerosae, arcte connatae. 



Fig 



Capsula 



f. 



Semina 



auct 





This was discovered by our excellent friend C. S. Parker, Esq. of Liverpool, in one of the many 

 herborizing excursions he made during his visit to Demerara. In the shape of the frond it comes 

 nearest to the Cape Ophioglossum nudicaule ; but that is much smaller in size, and has no appear- 

 ance of midrib, which is very observable in our plant. 

 Oph. costatum of Mr. Brown. 



It is probably allied to the New Holland 





TAB. XL. 



(B.) 





OPHIOGLOSSUM OPACUM 



I 



venis inconspicuis 



Ophioglossum opacum; spica caulina, fronde cordata opaca spica longiore, 



radice bulbosa. 



- 



■ 



■ 



Ophioglossum opacum. Carmichael in Descr. of the Island of Tristan da Cunha, in Linn. 



Trans. v. 1 2. p. 509. 



» 



Hab. In locis elevatis montis Insulae Tristan da Cunha. Carmichael. 



Ophioglosso reticulato valde affine : differt radice bulboso, fronde opaca, spica fronde breviore, et magnitud 



quadruplo minore. 





This may be called an alpine plant 



Tristan da Cunha is situated in 37° 6' South latitude 



and 



the plant is said to g 



u 



high up on the dome" of that island. This dome, Captain Carmichael 



tells us in his very interesting account of that island, above quoted, is in itself 5000 feet high, and 

 placed upon the top of a cone itself 3000 feet high. It is certainly very nearly allied to the O. reti- 

 culatum; and may perhaps prove a variety depending upon place of growth and other circumstances. 



4 



