124 FERNS AND THEIR ALLIES 



OPHIOGLOSSUM. Adder's-Tongue. 



The name is from the Greek, opliis, a serpent, 

 and glossa, tongue. 



ADDER'S-TONGUE. 



Ophioglossu7n viUgatum. 



This is the only fern of this genus found in 

 New England. It occasionally bears two fronds 

 the same season. The scape is from two to 

 twelve inches high. The sterile portion is entire, 

 rather ffeshy, ovate in form, and from one to 

 three inches long, near the middle of the stem. 

 The veins form a fine net-work. 



It grows in bogs and pastures and sometimes 

 in moist fields. There seems to be no favorite 

 haunt for the plant clearly settled in the minds 

 of our best botanists. One says dry places, an- 

 other wet. We incline to the latter view, or at 

 least think it prefers moist land. It is found 

 only occasionally. 



The fertile portion, which is at the summit of 

 the scape, consists of two rows of straw-colored, 

 united sporangia on the edges of the simple 

 spike. This is from one half to one inch or more 

 in length ; the fruit becomes mature in June 

 and July. 



