THE FANTASIES OF FERNS 



203 



thither, brightening the duller grasses with bands of 

 freshest green. 



Two other Ferns of swamps and moist grassy 

 woods also carry their globular fruit somewhat after 

 the manner of the Sensitive Fern, and so are asso- 

 ciated with it. These are the Virginia and the 

 Ternate Grape Ferns. 



The former has a much cut and divided leaf, 

 such as we associate with the Parsleys and other 

 members of the Carrot Family. 

 With the Virginia Fern the fertile, 

 grape -like portion rises from the 

 center of the sterile 

 leaf stem, the plant 

 varying in height from 

 six or eight inches to 

 nearly twenty. This is 

 a Fern of rich woods, 

 while its mate belongs 

 equally to the old 

 turf of pasture -edges 

 and to hillsides. 



The Ternate Grape 

 Fern is most conspicuous 

 in early Autumn, when its leaf, 

 cut finely and in some phases almost 



