ORDER 160. FILICES. 



g Fruit-dots dorsal, oblong or linear, parallel with the midvein "WOODWARDIA. 13 



g Fruii-dots dorsal, oblong or linear, transverse to the midvein. (k) 



k Indusia single, regularly arranged in 2 rows ABPLENIUM. 14 



k Indusiu single, scattered irregularly, placed angularly ANTIORAMMA. 15 



k Indusia double, regularly arranged. Frond simple SCOLOPENDEIUM. 16 



g Fruit-dots dorsal, orbicular, (o) 



o Indusium cnp-shaped, fixed beneath all around the eorus WOODSIA. IT 



O Indusium hood-shaped, fixed at the base and 2 sides CISTOPTERIS. 13 



o Indusium peltate or renif m, all involved in the berry-like segm.ONocLEA. 19 

 all superficial on the flat segm ASPUOTM. 20 



1. OPHIOGLOS'SUM, L. ADDER'S TONGUE. (Gr. o^^, a serpent, 



, tongue.) Sporangia roundish, depressed, opening transversely, 

 arranged ia two rows along the margins of the fertile I'rond which is 

 contracted into a linear spike ; iadusiiun none, veins reticulated. 



1 O. vulgatum L. Frond simple, oblong-ovate, obtuse, reticulations elongated; 

 spike cauline, root of thick spreading fibres. A curious little plant in low grounds. 

 Fronds solitary, 2 3' long, as wide, amplexicaul, entire, smooth, without a 

 midvein, situated upon the stem or stipe a little below the middle. Stipe 6 10' 

 high, terminating in a lance-linear, compressed spike, 1 2' long, with the fruit 

 arranged in 2, close, marginal ranks. Sporangia opening outwards end horizontally, 

 becoming lunat?, distinct, straw-colored. Vernation straight, not circinate. June. 



2 O. bulbosuin L. Frond simple, ovate or orbiculate, or reniform, subcordate, 

 nearly or quite radical, obtuso; reticulations short, spike cauline ; root a subglobous 

 bulb. "Wet pine barren^ 1 , N. J. (Pursh) to Ga. and La. Sts. about 3' high, often 

 2 from tho same bulb, spike short, oblong (4 to 8"). Lvs. 2 or 3, one of tliem 

 cauline. Bulbs, 3 to G" diam. 



2. BQTRYCHIUST, Swartz. MOONWORT, GRAPE FERN. (Gr. (3orpv g, a 

 cluster of grapes ; from the resemblance of the fructification.) Sporangia 

 subglobous, 1-cellcd, 2-valvcd, distinct, coriaceous, smooth, cdnate to 

 the compound rachis of a racemous panicle ; valves opening transversely. 



Frond ternately divided, situated near the base of the stipe or stem Nos. 1, 2 



Frond ^innately divided, situated at or above the middle of the stem Nos. 8, 4 



1 B. Itmarioides Swartz. Scape bearing the frond near the base; frond in 3 

 bipinnatifid divisions; segments obliquely lanceolate, crenulato; spikes bipinnate. 

 Native of shady woods and pastures. Frond almost radical, cf a triangular 

 outline, 3 5' long and wide, of a stouter texture than No. 4, distinctly petiolate. 

 Scape thick, 8 12' high, bearing a tawny, compound panicle 2 4' in length, 

 composed of numerous little 2-ranked spikes. Aug. (B. obliquum Muhl. B. 

 fumarioides Willd.) 



ft. DISSECTUM. Frond near tho base of the scape, more numerously dissected, 

 almost tripinnatifid. (B. dissectum Willd.) 



2 B. simplez Hitchcock. Frond ternate, borne near half way up the stalk; Ifts. 

 cuneate-obovate, subentire or incised, unequal ; spike compound, interrupted, uni- 

 lateral; capsules sessile, yellow. Dry hilly pastures, Vt. and Mass. Stipe or 

 scape 3 to 6' high. Closely resembles B. lunaria of Eur. Frond varies from 

 eimply ternate to ternate-pinnatifid. Jn. 



3 B. neglectum. MERIDEN MOONWORT. Frond simply pinnate, with oblong- 

 ovate or oval, incised leaflets, and borne near the summit of the scape ; capsules* 

 pedicellate, subsolitary, in an oblong panicle. Rocky woods, N. H. (Meriden 1) 

 Allied rather to the next than to No. 1. St. 5 to 8' high. Frond 9 to 20" long, 

 half as wide. Lfts. 3 or 4 pairs. Pan. often larger than the fronds. Caps, brown- 

 ish, on very short, thick stipes. July. 



4 B. Virgmicmm L. RATTLESNAKE FERN. Stipe with a single frond in the mid- 

 dle; frond twice and thrice pinnate, the lowest pair of pin nee springing from the 

 base; ultimate segments obtuse, somewhat 3-toothed ; spikes decompound ; plant 

 subpilous. A beautiful fern, the largest of its genus, in low woods. Stipe or 

 Ecape 1 2f high, bearing the frond about half-way up. This is apparently ter- 

 nate, the lower pair of divisions arising from the base. It is almost tripinnate, 



