82 A CONTRIBUTION TO, ETC. 



evecta, which has lately been found at Rockingham Bay, has sori 

 linear, continuous, compound and sub-marginal. The spore-cases 

 are obovate, sessile, emarginate and laterally confluent, being ar- 

 ranged in two opposite series. This is an ornamental fern, with 

 tripinnate fronds from six to ten feet high, of a deep olive 

 green, and a native of the East Indies, the Mauritius, Bourbon, &c. 

 Lindley remarks that ihe fragrant leaves of A. evecta, are said 

 to be employed in the Sandwich Islands to perfume the cocoa-nut 

 oil. 



SUB-OBDEB, \5.Opliioglo&sace(B. 



The suborder Ophioglossacece or Adder's Tongues, are techni- 

 cally termed " Filical Acrogens, with^ingless, distinct two-valved 

 spore-cases, formed on the margin of a contracted leaf." Of this 

 suborder, two minute species formerly existed in the immediate 

 neighbourhood of Sydney, but they are now seldom seen there. 

 These are O. gramineum, and O. costatum, small delicate plants, 

 the one with grassy nerveless leaves, and the other with oblong- 

 lanceolate one-nerved fronds. 0. pendulum, Dr. Mueller kindly 

 informs me, is also a native of Eastern Australia, usually parasi- 

 tical on Platycerium. It occurs in Queensland and occasionally 

 farther south. IBotrychium belongs to the same order, and de- 

 rives its name from Botrys, a bunch, on account of the bunch-like 

 form of its fructification. IB. Australe occurs sparingly in Eastern 

 Australia, and seems scarcely to differ from IB. virginicum, the 

 largest of the North American species. In New Zealand IBotry- 

 chium is used as a pot-herb, and sheep are said to be so fond of it, 

 that it is difficult to procure specimens where they have access. 

 IHelmintkostachys(from Helminthos, of an earth worm, and stachys, 

 a spike, in allusion to the worm-like disposition of the sporangia) 

 is similar in habit to the last genus, and has whorls of spore-cases, 

 opening vertically and surmounted by a crested appendage. The 

 species JET. Zeylanica has recently been found near Rockingham 

 Bay. (Frag. vol. 4, p. 166.) 



In Dr. F. Mueller's list of Australian ferns, O. gramineum and 

 0. costatum are referred to O. vulgatum. IBotrychium australe, or 

 IB. virginicum is united with IB. ternatum, and it is stated that IB. 

 lunaria has been found on the Australian Alps. OpJiioqlossum 



-t 7 



vulgatum is becoming very rare in New South Wales, but there 

 can be no doubt that it will be seen every now and then in places 



