624 THE EEEN FASIILT. 



f Son circular. No indusium 4(3). Alpine TovYVODr. 



25 .J Sori circular, with a kidney-shaped or almost peltate indusium attached by a point 26 

 (.Sori rather oblong, with an indusium attached along one side . ■ _S. Spleeitwoet. 

 CSegmeuts ovate or ovate-lanceolate. Indusia conspicuous and persistent. 



26 J 7(6)- Created SuiBLD-EEmn. 

 (.Segments oblong-laneeolate 27 



„ f Indusia conspicuous and persistent 7(8). iZi^sd Shieldfeen. 



' t Indusia small and often soon disappeariag 7 (7). Bj-oikJ Shieldfeeit. 



I. ADDER'S-TONGUE. OPHIOGLOSSUM. 



Stem simple, bearing a single leaf in the lower part, and a simple terminal 

 fruitiog spike. Spore-cases rather large, closely sessile, in two opposite rows, 

 each opening by a transverse fissure. 



A genus of very few species, but widely distributed over most parts of 

 the globe. 



1. Common Adder's-tongue. Ophioglossum vulgatum, Linn. 



(Eng. Bot. t. i08.)" 



Rootstock very small, but apparently perennial. Frond or stem sohtary, 

 from a few inches to near a foot high, with an ovate or oblong entire leaf, 

 usually 2 to 3 inches long, narrowed at the base into a shortly sheathing 

 footstalk, and usually attached below the middle of the stem. Spike termi- 

 nal, f to about an inch long, bearing on each side fi-om about 15 to 25 

 closely sessile spore-cases. 



In moist meadows, and pastures, throughout Europe and Russian Asia, 

 except the extreme north, in North America, and apparently also in the 

 southern hemisphere as well as within the tropics. Generally distributed 

 over Britain, but more common in some parts of England than in tlie north 

 of Scotland. Fr. summer. The dwarf A. (O. lusitanicum, Linn.) is now 

 believed to be a mere variety, only differing from the common form in its 

 small size, the slender stems varying from 1 to 3 inches, the leaf linear or 

 lanceolate, narrowed into a stalk, and seldom above 1^ mches long. It is 

 usually to be found only in early spring, and in Europe chiefly near the sea, 

 in the Mediterranean region, and up the west coast of Europe to the Chan- 

 nel Islands, but not on the main British Isles. 



II. ]XIOON\VORT. BOTRYCHirM. 



Stem of Adder' s-tongue, but the leaf is divided, the terminal spike is 

 branched, forming a panicle, and the spore-cases are globular, and, although 

 sessile, quite distinct. 



A smaU genus, distributed over the temperate regions of the northern 

 hemisphere, and more sparingly in the southern one. 



1. Common Moonwort. Botrychium Iiunaria, Sw. 



{Osmunda, Eng. Bot. t. 318.) 

 Rootstock very small, bearmg a single erect stem, 3 to 6 or 8 inches high, 

 surrounded at the base by a few brown sheathing scales. The leaf about 

 the centre of the stem, 1 to 3 inches long, pinnate, with from 5 to 15 or 

 even more obliquely fan-shaped or halfmoon-shaped segments, of a thick 

 consistence, and entire or crenate. Panicle 1 to near 2 inches long, of a 

 narrow pyramidal shape, the branches aU turned towards one side. 



