WPODWARDIA ANGUSTIFOLIA. 

 NETTED CHAIN-FERN. 



NATURAL ORDER, FILICES. 



WooDWARDiA ANGUSTIFOLIA, J. E. Smith. — Sterile and fertile fronds, pinnatifid, unlike; sterile 

 ones twelve to eighteen inches high, with lanceolate serrulate divisions united by a broad 

 wing, having veins forming many rows of meshes ; fertile fronds smaller, with narrowly 

 linear almost disconnected divisions; the areoles and fruit dots (which are four to five 

 lines long) in a single row each side of the secondary mid-ribs. (Gray's Mamtal of the 

 Botany of t/ie Northern United States. See also Eaton's Ferns of North America ; and 

 Wood's Class-Book of Botany, under the name of IVoodwardia oiiocleoides.) 



HE species now illustrated is in many respects one of the 

 most beautiful and interesting of our native ferns. As 

 compared with many other American species, it is regarded as 

 somewhat rare. It is, indeed, confined to a limited portion of 

 our extensive country, but is generally seen in great abundance 

 where it is found at all. In southeastern New Jersey, as we 

 approach the sea-coast, it is seen in great abundance, and aids 

 much in giving the peculiarly pleasing character which renders a 

 visit to that section of the country during the summer months 

 one to be long remembered. The country is low, but a few feet 

 above the sea-level, swampy, and the ligneous vegetation com- 

 posed chiefly of Magnolia glatica, Red Maple, and an occasional 

 specimen of the White Cedar. The smaller shrubs are chiefly of 

 the Alder, Prinos verticillatus, Andromeda, Gayhissacia, Vac- 

 cinitim, with a few scattered Hollies, and some other things. 

 Among and often over this the Mercury vine — Smilax rotiindi- 

 folia — thrusts its long thorny branches, which are assisted by 

 Ampelopsis and several species of grape in making an impene- 

 trable thicket often hundreds of acres in extent. Still among 



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