178 WOODWARDIA ANGUSTIFOLIA. NETTED CHAIN-FERN. 



the lowest masses of herbage numbers of smaller things manage 

 to make a fair living. The Sarraccnia pitrpitrca, or Huntsman's 

 Cup, various strong grasses and sedges, and numerous ferns are 

 almost sure to be among those present, struggling with the 

 SpJiagnum and other mosses, and quite successfully, for a good 

 share of life. Among this warlike race our netted Chain-fern is 

 found in considerable numbers. It is not, however, that it pre- 

 fers this sort of a struggle for life, for when it finds itself in 

 places more free from arborescent growths, and has the full 

 benefit of the open air and free sun-light, it is wonderful how 

 much more rich and vigorous its growth becomes. 



Besides the beauty v/hich, as a part of the general scener}', it 

 may justly lay claim to, it has individual traits which attract 

 close observation. The barren fronds (Fig. i) are the first to 

 appear in spring. About mid-summer the fertile fronds (Fig. 2) 

 follow. By autumn the rhizome (Fig. 3) has progressed and 

 formed a terminal coil (Fig. 4), which remains enclosing the buds 

 which are to push forth and form the barren fronds the succeed- 

 ing spring. The barren frond is remarkable for its resemxblance 

 to the Sensitive fern — Onoclca scnsibilis. From shaded loca- 

 tions, the tint, as seen in our specimen, is rather darker than in 

 others ; but when in more open places the peculiar ashen-gray 

 dnt is idendcal with the Sensidve fern. The veining is also the 

 same, but the tendency to division is rather greater in our 

 present species. In the description as taken from Dr. Gray, it 

 is noted that the divisions are united by a broad wing; but this 

 is not completely so in all, for, as may be noted in our illustra- 

 tion, the wing has nearly disappeared at the base of the frond, 

 and, while the upper portion is but pinnately divided, the lower 

 is truly pinnate. The fertile frond is as we see primordially the 

 same as the barren one, even to the irregular divisions of the 

 upper portion, only much miore contracted. The masses of fruit 

 arranged like bricks in a wall, and seen enlarged in Fig. 5, add 

 very much to its singular beauty ; all of which is heightened by the 

 rich brown color of the stipe, and which is wholly wanting in the 



