FERNS. 



235 



bed were to be found. The change of soil caused by the action of the 

 fire and want of shade seemed to affect the texture of the fronds ; they 

 became thicker in substance and leathery, darker and duller in colour, 

 and dwarfed in size. 



I have seen specimens of this species differing gready in outline, 

 size and general appearance, from our Lakefield fern, being much 

 coarser, larger, more lanceolote than triangular ; the lower wings rather 

 curving upwards than depressed, with the sori much larger and more 

 -crowded and numerous. Probably difference of soil produced the 

 change in the habit of the fern. 



Broad Beech YKKt^—Fhegopie}'is hexagonoptera, (Fee). 



This species bears a strong resemblance in outline, and some of its 

 more general features, to F. polypodioides, but differs from the latter in 

 the lighter, thinner fronds, and the more scanty, hairy scales on the 

 rachis and veins. The sori are round, situated at the base of the lobes 

 of the pinnules. The lower pairs of pinnas are usually much deflexed, 

 or are both borne on the left side of the rachis at a slanting angle. In 

 this position they have somewhat the appearance of a bird's wings 

 raised for flight. The root-stock is black, creeping and scaly, sending 

 up from pointed buds, at intervals, fronds which are closely rolled up, 

 and covered with a small soft greyish-white down, which after a few 

 days disappears. 



This fern forms extensive beds in the soil of rich shady Beech and 

 Maple woods ; height of the stipe, about a foot to eighteen inches. The 

 triangular, wide-spread frond, is about as wide as long ; lobes of the 

 pinnules bluntish ; pinnae sweeping, curved and pointed at the ends, 

 confluent near the apex, both at the summit of the frond and of the pinnae. 



This is a very handsome fern, but soon yields to the withering 

 effects of early frosts. It dries well, keeping its colour tolerably bright, 

 if not pressed at too early a stage of growth. The root-stock is peren- 

 nial as in others of the genus. By far the most attractive fern of the 

 group, is that charming fern, 



Winged Polypody — Oak. Fern — Phegopteris Dryopicris, (Fee.) 



This is also termed Triangular, and Ternate Polypody The rachis 

 is divided into three parts or branches, which are again pinna tely 

 divided; pmn^e, lanceolate, spreading ; pinnules, crenate or bluntly 

 lobed ; stipe and rachis dark coloured, smooth, brittle, with a few loose 

 thin pale-coloured almost transparent scales, which are not very ap- 

 parent as the plant increases in size ; fruit dots at the base of the lobes 

 of the pinnules. 



