LONG BEECH FERN 



Ptiego^teris ■^oly^oaioiaes Fee 



LEAF blaae triangular, some-wnat longer than oroaa, com- 

 pound, tke segments deeply divided. Pinnae oblong, 

 pointed, cut almost to tne midriD, tne t^wo lo-wer narro-wed 

 at tne base, and turned forward and do"wn in a very cnarac- 

 teristic manner; upper pinnae becoming smaller and less di- 

 vided, forming a long sum lobe at the top. Divisions of the 

 pinnae oblong, blunt, tKe lower ones joining tbe midrib of tKe 

 blade. Son small, round, witbout indusia, close to tbe 

 lower edge of tbe divisions of tbe pinnae, maturing in late 

 summer. Blade sometimes eigbt incbes long, thin, soft, 

 downy, especially underneatb, yellowisb, witbering in early 

 autumn, usually bent at an angle w^itb tbe stem. Stems vari- 

 able in lengtb, often reacbing several incbes, scaly at tbe base, 

 arising from long slender brancbed rootstocks. 



1 bis fern and its near relative, tbe oak fern, are very 

 characteristic of tbe ledges of many of tbe ravines, tbeir root- 

 stocks intertwining and filling tKe crevices, w^bile tbe blades 

 m crowded clusters form a border over tne overbanging rocks. 



Pa^e Eleven 



