484 



BOTANY OF THE LIVING PLANT 



in the Shield Fern. When creeping the internodes are longer, so that 

 the leaves are isolated, as on the underground rhizome of the Bracken, 

 the leaves being here the only part above ground. The stems of 

 Ferns have unlimited apical growth, and sometimes fork at their 



Fig. 374. 



Dryopteris Filix-mas, Rich. A, stock in longitudinal section. v= the apex. st= 

 the stem, b — the leaf -stalks, b' = one of the still folded leaves. g= vascular strands. 

 B = a leaf -stalk, bearing at k a bud with root at w, and several leaves. C is a similar 

 leaf -stalk cut longitudinally. D = a stock, from which the leaves have been cut away 

 to their bases, leaving only those of the terminal bud. The spaces between the leaves 

 are filled with numerous roots, rr, wf . E, stock from which the rind has been removed 

 to show the vascular network, g. F=a mesh of the network enlarged, showing the 

 strands which pass out into the leaves. (After Sachs.) 



ends. But buds may also appear at the leaf-bases, a condition seen in 

 the old leaves of the Shield Fern (Fig. 374, B). A general peculiarity 

 of Ferns is the crozier-like curvature of their young leaves, the adaxial 

 face growing at first more slowly. But later it catches up the abaxial 

 face, so that the leaf flattens out as it matures. This habit is effective 



