88 BRITISH FERNS. 



membranous leafy wing or border, the rib itself being almost 

 quite without any such border. The clusters of spore-cases 

 are collected around the free ends of veins, which usually 

 occupy the place of the lowest forward segment, and are 

 included within an urceolate in vv lucre, which is divided into 

 two oblong convex inflected valves, which are quite entire at 

 the flattened edges where they meet. 



This kind of Film Fern is equally diffused with the allied 

 species ; indeed, it seems to be the more common of the two 

 in some parts of Scotland, and in Ireland. It is widely dis- 

 tributed in other parts of the world. 



CHAPTER XX. 



THE ROYAL FERN. 



THE Osmunda is called the Royal Fern, and well it de- 

 serves the regal honours, for it is the most majestic of our 

 indigenous Ferns. It is known by its large size, by having 

 its fronds entirely leafy in the lower part, and entirely fertile 

 at the top, the pinnae or branches at the apex of the fronds 

 being changed from the ordinary leafy form, into dense 

 masses of spore-cases, arranged in the aggregate in the same 

 way as the leafy pinnules would have been. This mode of 

 bearing the fructification renders it so strikingly obvious at 

 first sight, and gives the plant an aspect so entirely different 

 from that of those in which the fructification is more or less 

 concealed by its position on the under surface, that the 

 Osmunda, though one of what are classified as flowerless 

 plants, is often anomalously called the Flowering Fern. 

 In truth, the contracted chocolate-coloured apex looks not 

 unlike a dense panicle of small brown flowers crowning the 

 tall straight stem, whose lower pinnae have much the ap- 

 pearance of broad green leaves. There is but one native 

 species. 



The name of the genus has given rise to some speculation. 

 Some derive it from the Saxon mund, which they say signi- 

 fies strength. Others consider the word expressive of 

 domestic peace, and derive it from the Saxon os, house, and 

 mund, peace. Others, again, have thought it commemora- 

 tive, as the following legend sets forth : " At Loch Tyne 

 dwelt the waterman Osmund. Fairest among maidens was 

 the daughter of Osmund. Her light brown hair and glow- 



