78 



along a striated vertical band, reaching over rather more than half 

 of the circumference. 



OSMUNDA REGALIS. Osmund Royal. Flowering Fern. TAB. 

 XLIV. 



Fronds bipinnate : pinnae opposite : pinnules oblong, nearly 

 entire, more or less auricled at the base. Fructification in bipin- 

 nate panicles terminating some of the fronds. 



Osmunda regalis, Linnceus. E. B. 209. Generally adopted. 



This stately fern is of common occurrence throughout the 

 United Kingdom, in wet spongy soils about the borders of woods 

 and thickets, and on the shaded margins of rivers, lakes, and 

 swamps, varying much in size in different situations. The fronds 

 grow in large tufts from a thick woody rhizoma, which sometimes 

 extends horizontally, branching so as to occupy a large space of 

 ground, but occasionally, and especially in much encumbered 

 habitats, elongates in an erect position to a height of two or even 

 three feet above the soil, assuming the character of the stipes or 

 trunk of the tropical tree ferns. When the tufts are large and 

 luxuriant this is by far the most magnificent of our native species 

 of fern, the barren fronds being from six to nine feet high ; I have 

 met with them on the banks of the Dee rather exceeding the latter, 

 and Mr. S. Murray, as quoted in the ' British Flora/ measured a 

 tuft on those of the Clyde which was eleven feet and a half in 

 height. The fertile fronds are shorter than the others and com- 

 paratively few in number ; in both the bipinnate character is the 

 same throughout, the primary divisions opposite, the secondary 

 mostly alternate. The pinnules are of an elongated ovate or ob- 

 long form, approaching occasionally to lanceolate, and either entire 

 or slightly crenated on the margin, while the base is somewhat 

 dilated, especially on the lower side, so as frequently to become 

 auricled. In the fruit-bearing fronds, four or five of the lower 

 pairs of pinnae have the leafy character, while the remainder de- 

 velope clusters of thecae in lieu of pinnules, and similar clusters 

 displace occasionally pinnules on other parts of the frond, illus- 

 trating the true origin of the reproductive organs by modification 

 of the leafy tissue. The clusters of thecae are at first of a light 

 green hue, gradually changing to a reddish-brown as they ap- 

 proach maturity. The fronds appear about the end of April or 

 the beginning of May and last until November, but the fructifi- 

 cation withers and disappears at the end of August or earlier 

 according to the character of the season. 



The rhizoma is tonic and astringent, and a decoction is esteemed 

 in some parts of the continent as a remedy for the rickets. 



