WOOD FERN OF TROPICAL AMERICA 



Till' l)f<i of whicli the iiicture sliows a part, was several square rods in extent. Large areas of the floor in hijili pine- 

 land Iiamniocks are often covered by this fern, especially where the shade is not too dense. The more or 

 less horizontal blades of the arching leaves are commonly so numerous that they completely hide 

 the ground beneath them. The leaves do not take root at the tip; the fern reproduces 

 itself only by the myriads of spores which are distributed from numerous small 

 spore cases borne on the under side of the leaves 



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