THE ADDER'S TONGUE. 01 



COMMON MOONWORT. [Plate xn. fig. 3.] 



The usual name of the Moonwort is Botrychium Lunaria. 

 It was formerly called Osmunda Lunaria. 



This is a.very peculiar, almost stemless plant, furnished 

 with a few coarse brittle fibres, and a bud springing from 

 the permanent point which represents the stem. The new 

 fronds spring up annually, and perish before winter, and in 

 the majority of cases are not very conspicuous ; they vary 

 from three to eight or ten inches in height, the lower half 

 consisting of a smooth, hollow stipes; above, the frond is 

 separated into two branches, one of which is spreading, pin- 

 nate, leafy, oblong ; the pinnse crescent-shaped, or some- 

 what fan-shaped approaching to lunate, filled with a radiat- 

 ing series of forked veins. The other branch is erect, fertile, 

 divided into branches corresponding with the pinnse, and 



into another series of branchlets, on which, distinct, 

 but clustered, the globose stalklels spore-cases are produced. 

 The spore-cases are two-valved, and open transversely when 

 ripe ; the valves are concave. 



This species is widely distributed, but local, occurring in 

 open heaths and pasture, where the soil is peaty or sandy, 

 and not wet. The same plant occurs in other parts of Europe, 

 and also in North America. 



The Moonwort is not very easily cultivated. It may, 

 however, be preserved in pots in a cold frame, if transplanted 

 while dormant, or when just starting, into peaty or sandy 

 loamy soil, and kept from either of the extremes of drought 

 or saturation. The roots should not be disturbed when once 

 established. 



CHAPTER xxrr. 



THE ADDER'S TONGUE. 



THE Ophioglossum or Adder's Tongue is very nearly related 

 to the Moonwort, though at first sight having a very different 

 aspect. The points in which it agrees are, that the parts are 

 folded up straight in the young undeveloped state, and the 

 fronds are two-branched, one branch being leafy, the other 

 fertile. It differs most obviously in its parts being all 

 simple, while those of Botrychium are compound. Its habit 

 of growth is precisely the same, but the fructification is very 



