368 CHAEACTEEs or teibes and geneea, 



Obs. — Presl, in his " Supplementum Tentaminis Pteri- 

 dographiaa," enumerates twenty-eig-ht species of this genus, 

 three of which he characterises under three distinct 

 genera, but which I consider of sectional vahie only. In 

 the " Synopsis Filicum " the species are reduced to one 

 half of the above number. 



Fronds ovate elliptical or linear, 2 to 10 inches in length, 

 hearing tlie fertile simple spikes; epigeous. (^Opliio- 

 glossum vera.) 



Sp. 0. lusitanicum, Linn, (v v.) ; 0. pedunonlosum, 

 Deso. (v V.) ; 0. nudicaule, Linn. ; 0. vulgatum, Linn. 

 (v V.) ; L. reticulatum, Linn, (v v.). 



** Fronds pendulous ; tJie sterile segments long, rihbon-like, 

 usually dichotomously hranched, 2 to 10 or more feet 

 ill length. Fpiphijtal. {Ophioderma, Pr.) 



0. pendulum, Linn, (v v.) ; 0. furcatum, J. Srn. (v v.). 



*** Fronds palmate, pendulous, 6 to 10 inches long, 

 fertile spikes numerous, epiphytcd. [Cheiroglossa, Pr.) 



0. palmatum, Linn, (v v.). 



*■*** Fertile spike, rising direct from, the Conn. 

 {Bhizoglossum, Presl.} 



O. Bergianum, Scldecht. 



Obs. — This is a curious and rare little plant, a native of 

 the Cape of Good Hope, having the sterile and fertile 

 fronds distinct, not more than half an inch in length, its 

 nearest ally being 0. lusitanicum, a native of the South of 

 Europe, of recent years found in Guernsey. 



