THE MARSH FERN 



You see that the}^ have rather stiff-looking fronds. 

 These are of a pale, dull green. The stipes are usually 

 very long for the size of the frond. 



Early in the spring, before other marsh plants 

 come up, the slender crosiers of this fern appear. They 

 look like little green 

 balls nodding to each 

 other, from the tops of 

 their tall stipes. The 

 rootstocks are long and 

 slender. The leaves 

 come up during the 

 whole summer. None 

 of the early fronds bear 

 spores. 



About the middle of 

 July the spore-bearing, 

 or fertile, fronds ap- 

 pear. The fruit dots 

 are in a double row on 

 each leaflet. They are 

 well grown before the frond uncurls. The edges of 

 the leaves are turned over to the under side, so as to 

 cover the fruit dots when they are young. Perhaps 

 you can see this in the frond at the left, which has 

 its under side toward you. 



As the spores ripen, the spore cases spread out and 

 often cover all the under side of the leaf. One writer 



29 



The Marsh Fern. 



