| GROUP II | FERTILE FRONDS PARTIALLY LEAF-LIKE, |
dations of ruthless collectors, and, to some extent, probably, the ravages of fire. The plant is in its prime in early fall, but may be looked for up to the time of killing frosts."
8. ADDER'S TONGUE
Ophioglossum vulgatum
Canada to New Jersey and Kentucky, in moist meadows. Two inches to one foot high.
Sterile portion.—An ovate, fleshy leaf.
Fertile portion.—A simple spike, usually long-stalked.
The unprofessional fern collector is likely to agree with Gray in considering the Adder's Tongue "not common." Many botanists, however, believe the plant to be "overlooked rather than rare." In an article on O. vulgatum, which appeared some years ago in the Fern Bulletin, Mr. A. A. Eaton writes:
"Previous to 1895 Ophioglossum vulgatum was unknown to me, and was considered very rare, only two localities being known in Essex County, Mass. Early in the year a friend gave me two specimens. From these I got an idea of how the thing looked. On the 11th of last July, while collecting Habenaria lacera in a 'bound-out' mowing field, I was delighted to notice a spike of fruit in the grass. A search revealed about sixty, just right to collect, with many unfruitful specimens. A few days later,
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