THE BRITISH FERNS. 
THE COMMON ADDER’S TONGUE. 
OPHIOGLOSSUM VULGATUM. 
O. fronds usually solitary (4-12 in.); barren branch ovate 
obtuse, ecostate, thick herbaceous ; fertile branch linear stalked, its 
stalk of equal width throughout. [Plate CXIII A.] 
OPHIOGLOSSUM VULGATUM, Linneeus, Sp. Plant. 1518. Bolton, Fil. Brit. 2, t. 3. 
Smith, Eng. Bot. ii. t. 108; Id., Eng. Fl. 2 ed. iv. 318. Mackay, Fl. Hib. 
346. Hooker & Arnott, Brit. Fl. 7 ed. 593. Babington, Man. Brit. Bot. 
4 ed. 499. Newman, Hist. Brit. Ferns, 3 ed. 325. Deakin, Florigr. Brit. 
iv. 33, fig. 1576. Moore, Handb. Brit. Ferns, 3 ed. 275 ; Id., Ferns of Gt. 
Brit. Nature Printed, t. 51 B. Sowerby, Ferns of Gt. Brit. 81, t. 40. 
Bentham, Handb. Brit. Fl. 624. Hooker, Fl. Lond. iv. t. 75; Id., Gen. 
Fil. t. 59 B. Gray, Nat. Arr. Brit. Pl. i. 20. Lowe, Nat. Hist. Ferns, 
vii. t. 65 A. Swartz, Syn. Fil. 169. Schkuhr, Krypt. Gew. 155, t. 153. 
Willdenow, Sp. Plant. v. 58. Sprengel, Syst. Veg. iv. 22. Presl, Supp. 
Tent. Pterid. 49. Nyman, Syllog. Fl. Europ. 435. Fl. Danica, t. 147. 
Svensk Bot. t. 378, fig. 1. Sturm, Fl. (Farrn.) t. 11. Ledebowr, Fl. Ross. 
iv. 504. Koch, Syn. 2 ed. 973. Gray, Bot. North. United States, 2 ed. 602, 
t. 13. Mettenius, Fil. Hort. Bot. Lips. 121. 
OPHIOGLOSSUM ovATUM, Salisbury, Prod. 401. 
OPHIOGLOSSUM RIEHLII, Hb. Imp. Pal. Vien.; according to Presl. 
OPHIOGLOSSUM UNIFOLIUM, Gilibert, Exerc. Phytol. ii. 554. 
Var. microstichum: fronds much smaller (3-5 in.) ; barren branch 
ovate, fertile linear-oblong apiculate. [Plate CXIII B.] 
OPHIOGLOSSUM MICROSTICHUM, Acharius, AON: Vet. Acad. Handl. 1809, 59. 
Svensk Bot. t. 378, fig. 2. 
OPHIOGLOSSUM VULGATUM, v. MINUS, Moore, Ferns of Gt. Brit. Nature Printed. 
under t. 51 B ; 7d., Handb. Brit. Ferns, 3 ed. 277. 
OPHIOGLOSSUM GRAYI, Beck, Bot. North. and Midd. St. 458. 

Caudex or Corm-like Crown forming a thickened fusiform descend- 
ing axis (rhizome, Presl), terminated by a bud or growing point 
enclosed by a few brown membranaceous sheaths. Roots coarse, 
brittle, fleshy, spreading horizontally, unbranched, growing in a 
somewhat whorled manner from the crown and the perpendicular 
axis. Some of these become elongated under-ground in a stolon- 


