FERiVS. 259 



Ratji.esn'akm Fkrn — Botrychiniii Vin^iniajtiiiii, (Swz.) 



Tliis 'f\\\^ fern may be found in the rich vegetable mould of our 

 hardwood forests, and can be easily distinguished by its broad bright 

 green, much divided, barren frond of thin texture, with the veins free 

 and forking ; pinnules slender and pointed ; the upright, fertile frond 

 much taller, slenderly branched, bearing the small round seed vessels of 

 a dark green colour, ripening to a bright reddish-brown or yellow, and 

 shedding the spores in the month of July, or early in August. In some 

 specimens the leafy frond may be found placed obliquely, giving a more 

 graceful air to the fern. 



The variety known as B. gracilc I take to Ije plants of the first and 

 second years' growth. Having cultivated this fern for many years in a 

 wild shady spot in my garden, I have watched it during its 

 ■different stages from the first seedlings as they came up, just 

 simple miniatures of the larger growth, at first small, with leafy 

 spreading surface, cut and divided as in the older plants, but 

 not forking into two divisions. The second season these plants 

 became fruitful ; though the fertile spike was very delicate, the 

 whole size of the fern not exceeding six inches ; as it increased in 

 .age it became stouter in the scape and larger in breadth, corresponding 

 to the description of Gray. My observations were not confined to one 

 or two specimens, but I grew and examined a large number, and was 

 convinced that I had formerly been mistaken in supposing that there 

 were two or more distinct varieties, age only being the cause of the 

 difference. I had also thought that this fern was one of annual or 

 biennial growth, but this also was a mistake, as I have learned by 

 experience and observation that the root-stock is of longer duration. 



In very damp, rich soil, B. Virginianiiiii attains to a large size — 

 from one to two feet in height, and from twelve inches and upwards in 

 breadth. 



The thick, brown, fieshy roots strike far down into the soil, but 

 though difificult to dig up uninjured, the plant is not hard to cultivate, as, 

 with water and shade, in good mould, it grows and thrives well in the 

 garden, and the seeds spring up early in the following Spring — though 

 it seems to me only a very few of the thousands of fern seeds shed 

 possess the life principle within them ; possibly a wise provision in 

 nature to keep these plants within proper bounds, has restricted them 

 from vegetating freely. 



The name BotrycJiinin is derived from the Greek I'otrvs, a bunch 

 •of grapes, from the clustering of the spore cases. 



