278 FILICES FERNS. 



on dark-purple or black polished stipes, 6 to 15 inches high ; these fork at 

 the summit, and each branch gives off on its upper side simple branches 3 

 to 9 inches long, which are thickly and regularly clothed with alternate, tri- 

 angular or rhomboidal short-stalked pinnae ; these are entire and vein-bear- 

 ing on their lower margin, while their upper border is lobed, and fruit- 

 bearing. The plant as a whole is extremely delicate and beautiful. 



Habitat. In rich moist woods ; common. 



Part Used. The leaves not official. 



Constit uents. Unknown. 



Preparations. Used in decoction and syrup. 



Medical Properties and Uses. Maidenhair has a bitterish, aromatic 

 taste, and has been esteemed demulcent and pectoral. An allied species, 

 A. Capillus-Veneris, indigenous to Europe, and also found in Florida, was 

 formerly much used in chronic catarrhal affections. 



PTERIS. BRAKE. 



Pte r i s aq u i I i n a Linnc- . Common Brake. 



Description. Fruit in a continuous line along the margin of the fertile 

 frond, and covered by its reflexed border. Fronds erect, on a stout stipe 

 2 to 3 feet high, ternate, the wide-spreading branches bipinnate ; pinnae 

 oblong-lanceolate, the upper undivided, the lower often deeply pinnatifid. 



Habitat, In dry situations along the border of woods ; common. 



Part Used. The entire plant not official. 



Constituents. Unknown . 



Preparations. Used in decoction or infusion. 



Medical Properties and Uses. Brake is reputed astringent and anthel- 

 mintic, but is seldom used. Another indigenous species, P. atropurpurea 

 (Rock Brake), a much more delicate plant, possesses similar properties. 



ASPLENIUM. SPLEENWORT. 



Asplenium filix-foemina Bernhardt. 



Description. Fruit-dots short, variously curved, at length confluent ; 

 often the fertile vein bears two sporangia, back to back, the delicate indu- 

 sium crossing the vein and covering both. Fronds numerous, clustered, 

 from an ascending scaly rootstock ; they are 1 to 3 feet high, ovate-oblong 

 or broadly lanceolate, bipinnate ; pinnae lanceolate ; pinnules confluent 

 upon the secondary rachis by a narrow margin, oblong and doubly serrate 

 or elongate and incisely cut-toothed. A variable and beautiful species. 



Habitat. In moist shady places ; common. 



Part Used. The rhizome not official. 



It is supposed to possess properties, similar to those of male fern (As- 

 pidium filix-mas), which see. 



Several other indigenous species of asplenium, of widely different ap- 

 pearance, are supposed to possess medicinal properties. 



