206 Bower. — Ophioglossum simplex , Ridley. 
here, besides the epiphytic O . pendulum, L., none of these are forest plants, 
occurring only in open grassy spots ; while even the epiphytic one inhabits 
open woods, or grows on trees where there is plenty of light.’ 
Professor Groom examined the plant himself, and found its characters, 
so far as observed, to be those of Ophioglossum ; he then kindly forwarded 
it to me for further analysis. The description now given is based on only 
the one specimen ; two others were collected by Mr. Ridley, but they are 
said to be incomplete, and are at Singapore. The whole description must 
therefore be considered as provisional, and open to amendment when fresh 
material is available. 
The specimen sent by Mr. Ridley was figured by Professor Groom in 
its unaltered state ; his drawing is shown in Fig. i. The plant consists 
of a short stock, bearing three appendages of different ages. The largest 
is almost mature, and shows a structure like a fertile spike of Ophioglossum , 
with the lateral rows of sporangia almost mature. The second is similar 
in outline, but the sporangia are so young as to be barely perceptible ; still 
there can be no doubt that it is also of the nature of a fertile spike. The third 
is a small conical body of oblique position, and forced out of shape by the 
pressing. A careful external examination of the two largest appendages 
discloses no part which could be compared with the sterile lobe, or lamina 
of a subtending sporophyll, of other Ophioglossaceae. The leaf-stalks were 
examined throughout their length for scars or other traces of the insertion 
of a sterile lobe, but none was found. It is true there were scars of 
a reddish and rough appearance at various points on the stalks, but they 
are very irregular in form and position, and are not to be taken as scars of 
insertion of a withered sterile lobe, notwithstanding that one of them is near 
the base of the oldest leaf. 
This is clearly seen in Fig. 2, which shows the base of the plant on 
a larger scale ; it would seem probable from the small size of the stock, 
its form, and from the entire absence of roots (with the exception of the 
small conical body which will be shown below to be a root) that the under- 
ground parts had been partially broken away in removing the plant from 
the soil. This was shown in the sections subsequently cut from the stock ; 
the insertions of roots which had been broken away while still actively 
functional were found. After the specimen had been soaked out in water, 
the stalks became sufficiently transparent for the vascular strands to be 
visible ; and it is clear that the course of the strands does not countenance 
the idea that the large scar above noted is of the nature of the insertion 
of a sterile lamina with a vascular supply. Moreover, scars of similar 
apparent texture, but of different outline, are found most irregularly 
scattered on the leaf-stalks, and are probably due to some pathological 
state. The fact that the scars do not correspond in position on the several 
leaves shows also that they are not constant morphological features. Thus 
