FKHXS AND MOSSES. 135 
tributed in various parts, it is yet somewhat rare, and is 
more widely diffused in England than in either Wales, 
Scotland, or Ireland. The root differs materially from that 
of the true fern, as also the rhizoma, which appears little 
more than a sxibterraneous portion of the root. Newman, 
whose observations on this favourite branch of natural his- 
tory are derived from personal inspection, notices that before 
the Moon-.wort has felt the influence of spring it exists in a 
quiescent state, consisting of a simple stem scarcely an inch 
in length, and placed vertically in the earth, somewhat 
attenuated at the lower extremity, while the upper has a 
whitish bud-like termination, the embryo frond of the 
coming season. That part of the rhizoma which especially 
derives nourishment from the earth, bears two distinct whorls 
of thick yellowish succulent roots ; the upper portion is 
encased in alternate scale-like sheaths, and the elongation 
of the rhizoma shows that the young frond is about to shoot. 
The frond, which is almost universally a single one, appears 
in April 'br ilay, erect and straight, as if to welcome the 
coming back of the swallow people ! It is fertile except in 
seeding plants, and occasionally reaches the height of six 
inches. 
The Adder's- tongue ( Ophioglossum vulyatum] is generally 
distributed throughout England, but is comparatively scarce 
in Wales, Scotland, and Ireland. Its favourite growing- 
places are moist, damp meadows, and the sides of streamlets, 
where the scarlet Lychnis loves to nestle ; and is occasionally 
so abundant as to cover acres of grass-land with its long, 
smooth, hollow frond, appearing in May, and withering at 
the latter end of August. A few only of the fronds are 
fertile, and from out the acute and slanting, the deep green 
and leafy portion of such, uprises a straight, erect, club- 
shaped spike, somewhat longer than the leafy part, and 
bearing seeds in a double longitudinal row. When the 
seeds are fully ripe, you may readily see the gradual opening 
of the theca) transversely, waiting, as it were, for the pass- 
