C;!fi opHiOGLOSSACE^. [Botrycliiimi. 



Order XCI. OPHIOGLOSSACEiE, R. Br. 



" Capsules arranged on the margin of a contracted frond, ses- 

 sile, without reticulations or a ring, coriaceous, opaque. Fronds 

 straight in sestiyation." — Br. Fl. 



I. BoTBYCHiuM, Siv. Moonwort. 



" Capsules subglobose, sessile, clustered at the margin and on 

 one side of a pinnated rachis, 1 -celled, 2-valved, compressed, 

 opening transversely. Involucre none. Veins forked." — Br. Fl. 



1. H. Lunar ia, Sw. Common Moonivort. "Frond pinnated 

 solitarj', pinnae lunate or subflabelliform crenate." — Br. Fl. p. 

 578. Osmunda, L. : E. B. t. 318. Newman, Br. Ferns, p. 100. 



On dry hilly pastures, also in shady woods ; rare. Fr. June. 



E. Med. — In rocky wooded ground under the cliff at East end, growing amongst 

 dead leaves in the most shady recesses, 1841. In a damp meadow nearly facing 

 Cliff farm, hy Shanklin, iu some plenty. Miss Emily Sibley, 1848!!! In a pas- 

 ture-field near Nunwell farm, in which there is a pond, observed but sparingly, 

 1849, Dr. Bell-Salter .'.'.' Near Nunwell, Mr. Lawrence. 



Rhizoma small, not at all creeping, emitting one or two bundles of some- 

 what whorled, slightly branched, pale fibres. Rachis solitary, or rarely a second, 

 from 2 or 3 to 6 inches high, erect or sometimes bent or inclining, rounded, 

 smooth, succulent and solid (not hollow as stated by Francis, at least in my 

 specimens, though filled with very loose cellular tissue), its lower very white 

 portion partially cased with brown, membranous, torn sheaths: at about ^ or 

 frds of its height the rachis sends off a lateral, erect, decurrent and pinnated 

 frond, of about 2 or 3 inches in length, bearing from 4 to 6 (3 to 8, Newm.) 

 pairs of opposite or somewhat alternate pale green pinnules, of a rhomboidal 

 or fan-shape figure, notched or wavy on their exterior margin, their infe- 

 rior edge decurrent on the rachis, which thus appears winged. Beyond this bar- 

 ren frond the common rachis is produced in an erect position, and at its summit 

 bears about an equal number of contracted simple or branched pinnules, incurved 

 and carrying on their upper surface the globular marginal theca, very like white 

 mustard-seed in size and colour, 1-celled, bursting by a single transverse medial 

 suture without any ring or indusium, and filled with copious minute, roundish, 

 white seeds. 



Sometimes the lower pinnules of the barren frond are partially fructiferous, of 

 which I have an example in the specimens before me. 



II. Ophioglossum, Linn. Adder's-tongue. 



"Capsules 1-celled, 2-valved, opening transversely, connate, 

 forming a compact 2-ranked spike. Involucre none," — Br. Fl. 



1. O. vulgatum, L. Common Adder's-tongue. " Spike cauline, 

 frond ovate obtuse."— £?•. Fl. p. 578. E. B. t. 108. 



In moist meadows and pastures. 



E. Med. — Daujp clayey meadow betwixt Pigelegs and Smallbrook healb copses. 



