54 
FERNS. 
[ Ophioglossum. 
Mr. J. Nash. Near Titchborne, Hants (1836), Mr. Forder. South Kent, 
Rev. G. E. Smith. Common about Settle, Yorkshire, Mr. J. Tatham. 
Linton, Cambridgeshire, Mr. C. Babington. Sea banks near Tynemouth, 
Northumberland, Miss Hancock. — Sco. : Bernereside Hill, W. of Berwick- 
shire, Mr. W. Baird. South side gf Loch Tay, and ascending to 3000 feet on 
adjacent mountains ; Clova and Pentland Hills; Breadalbane Mountains, &c. 
Mr. H. Watson. Blair Athol, Perthshire, Mr. W. Brand. Higher Tees, Mr. 
J. Hogg. Moray, Rev. G. Gordon. Orkney, Rev. C. Clouston. Aberdeen- 
shire, Dr. Murray . — Wal. : Near Wrexham, Mr.J.E. Bowman. Near 
Rodney’s Pillar, Montgomeryshire, Rev. A. Bloxam. Craig Breidden, Mr. 
Dovaston. 
Geo. — Throughout North Europe and North Asia. 
OPHIOGLOSSUM, Linn. ADDER'S-TON GUE. 
(From oft; , a serpent, and yXoova, a tongue.) 
PLATE OF GENERA, FIG. XVI. 
This genus bears its fruit in a simple spike attached to a leafy frond. The 
theca are connected not only to each other, but attached by their whole base to 
the stem which bears them ; when ripe they open transversely. There are 12 
foreign species of this genus, inhabitants of Europe and North America. 
OPHIOGLOSSUM VULGATUM. 
COMMON ADDER’S-TONGUE. 
(Plate 4, fig. 9 .) 
Ciia. — F rond entire, solitary, ovate, obtuse. 
Syn. — Ophioglossum vulgatum of most Botanists. — Opliiog. ovatum, Salisb. 
Fig —E. B. 108.— J 3olt. 3.— Flo. Lon. 78.— Flo. Dan. 147.— Ger. 404.— 
Schk. 153. 
Des. — Root composed of a few stout, yellow, smooth fibres, 
running horizontally. Frond of one entire, upright leaf, ovate, 
blunt, 2 to 6 inches high, of a lurid green colour. Stem tapering 
downwards, and hollow. Fruit in a simple, unbranched, stalked, 
and pointed spike, connected with the leafy expansion. Thecae 
yellow, opaque, sessile, in two single rows, connected with each 
other, so that after the round, smooth, yellow seeds are dispersed, a 
number of transverse clefts are seen along each side of the spike. 
Sometimes found with more than one spike, at other times the leaf- 
like frond is deeply cleft at the top. 
V ir. — I t is considered by the country people as valuable to form an ointment 
for wounds, and for this purpose is gathered by baskets-full ; for be it observed 
that in some parts of the country it is almost as abundant as the herbage 
among which it grows. 
Six. — In meadows and moist pastures in most parts of the kingdom. 
IIab. — West F'clton, Salop, Mr. W. Leighton. Pottery Car, Mr. S. 
Appleby. Various parts of Surrey, Kent, Herts, and Hants, Mr. W. Pamplin. 
Near Barnstaple, Devon, Mr. J. Nash. Near Bristol, Miss Worsley. Field 
