A 



CHAPTER X. 



THE MOONWORT. 

 Botrychium hinaria. 



N unpretending little fern is the Moonwort ; 

 but, nevertheless, exceedingly pretty. It is 

 a by no means uncommon species, although, whilst 

 very abundant in some districts, it is quite 

 absent from others. The fronds grow to various 

 heights, according to circumstances ; sometimes 

 only three inches, at other times ten or more. 

 As the bud of the frond grows up, it emerges 

 from a sort of brown membraneous sheath, which 

 envelops for some distance the lower part of the 

 stem of the frond as in a case. The Moonwort 

 grows from a curious, twisted, fleshy root, of a 

 brittle substance, and succulent in its nature. 

 From these fleshy roots springs up the thick 

 stem of the frond. This consists of two divisions, 

 a leafy and a fruitful frond. The leafy portion 



