Habitat of Ophioglossum vulgatum 121 



that hardly a single name is retained nowadays, subse- 

 quent experience having displayed their inaccuracy and 

 led to correction. 



What is the Habitat of Ophioglossum vulgatum 



R. C. BENEDICT 



There seems to be some difference in opinion as to the 

 usual habitat of Ophioglossum vulgatum. Note the two 

 following references to it which have appeared in the 

 Fern Journal in the last few numbers. 



"Ophioglossum vulgatum I have found several times, 

 usually in dryish soil. It seems to like the shade of 

 Pteris, and is probably not rare, but it is so slender that 



it is frequently overlooked." 1 



"From the description given above, it will be noted 

 that the situation was not dissimilar to that required 

 by Ophioglossum— mdeed the latter occurred there— 

 and it is not unlikely that careful search in Ophioglossum 

 territory may reveal more localities for Schizaea." 2 



The latter statement brought a query from a member 

 of the Society who is familiar with the flora of southern 

 New Jersey, and who stated that the usual habitat for 

 Ophioglossum in southern New Jersey was in the pine 

 barrens, and that the locality as described by me above 

 was most unusual. As it happened that I was there 

 for Schizaea, and the Ophioglossum was not fertile, I did 

 not collect any, particularly as the situation was not m 

 any important respect different from the places in which 

 I had already found Ophioglossum. But * ' T M " 



description of the Ophioglossum habitat shows it to be 

 in Maine decidedly unlike those I am familiar with. 

 Can we not have a symposium here in the Journal on 

 the habitat of Ophioglossum? I would ask that all who 

 have found the adder's tongue send in a statement ot 



»C. H. Knowlton, Ferns and their Allies in Southern Franklin County 

 Maine. Am. Fein Jour. 4:5. 1914. 

 2 American Fern Journal 3: 13. 1913. 



Mr 



