THE SENSITIVE FERN 



green fronds are. These leaflets look like little green 

 berries strung along the stems. They are so closely 

 rolled that one author in speaking of them says that 

 most ferns hold their spore cases in the open hand, 

 but the sensitive fern grasps them tightly in the 

 clenched fist. When the little pods are ripe they burst 

 open and the spores escape. But the fronds remain 

 erect until the next summer. 



If we had walked along the banks of this stream in 

 the spring we should have seen our ferns in a very 

 different dress. A mass of tawny pink crosiers would 

 have nodded to us as much as to say, "How do you 

 like our looks ? " If you had then picked some and 

 examined them, you would have wanted to reply, "I 

 like your looks very much," for you would have found 

 much beauty in the uncoiling pink blades. 



The sensitive fern loves the sunshine. While it 

 will grow in the woods it very rarely bears spores 

 there. The plants that we have found in the shade 

 have had small fronds. They looked quite different 

 from the large, coarse plants growing in the sun. 



Some very old books speak of this fern as drag- 

 on's bridges. Isn't that a queer name? No one 

 seems to know why it was so called. 



The sensitive fern is found in nearly all parts of the 

 United States east of the Mississippi River, and in a 

 few places west of it. It also grows in Japan. 



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