—77— 



by even the Professor. The season of maturing, sessil- 

 ity of sterile frond and size, he has called attention to, but 

 these further differences are also noticeable. The pri- 

 mary and secondary growth, before mentioned, does not 

 occur at any time with the obliqiium in this locality, 

 though I may add it does with Ophioglossum bulbosum, 

 which grows and blooms on exactly the same lines and in 

 the same locations as biternatum. The roots of biternatum 

 form a large, succulent mass, seldom more than an inch 

 below the surface, and in the older plants are sometimes 

 bulkier than the plant above ground, being often enclosed 

 in a bunch of chaff, the unrotted accumulation of old 

 stipes, from the root almost to the surface of the ground. 

 The root of obliqiium is generally six to eight inches 

 below the surface, and is disposed to be straggling, the 

 chaff hardly appearing. Biternatum prefers open ground 

 in the full glare of the sun, and it is in such places it at- 

 tains its typical form. Obliqiium invariably seeks the 

 shade of some evergreen bush or tree or dense grass. 

 Often, however, biternatum is found in shady places on 

 the edges of the open spots. Under such circumstances 

 the growth is considerably changed, the color is a lighter 

 green, the sterile frond loses largely its sessility, having a 

 tendency to reach up and rarely has the secondary growth. 

 In the open, the sterile frond is a dark reddish green, ad- 

 hering closely to the ground, and under such conditions 

 I have seen the same plant frozen until it was brittle and 

 also undergoing the hot, dry winter sun we sometimes 

 have, in apparent unconcern. Furthermore, biternatum 

 is inclined to sport, double fronds, fertile or sterile, being 

 quite common, and I have one specimen where three fer- 

 tile heads come from a single stipe, the division taking 

 place above where the leaf joins. 



The above notes represent the careful examination and 

 inspection of quite a number of plants and in several 

 locations, for a period extending from April, 1904, to the 

 present date, and so far the behavior of this odd little 

 fern, for the two seasons, has been identical. 



Mobile, Ala. 



