RATTLESNAKE FERN. VIRGINIA GRAPE 

 FERN 



IjotrycniUTn virgmianum (L.) bw. 



A SINGLE troadly triangular, mucK divided leaf, witK 

 -^ -*- tne fertile portion rising from tne center, the entire plant 

 a foot or more KigK. Sterile portion sessile atove the mid- 

 dle of tke plant, of tkree broad pinnae, tKe middle largest; 

 pinnae snort-stalked divided into triangluar-otlong divisions 

 wnick are again deeply cut into lobes, tootked tovt^ard tKe 

 apex. Fertile stalk rising some mcnes above the sterile, once 

 or twice divided, eacb division bearing a double row of large 

 spherical naked sporangia, opening by a transverse slit. Ster- 

 ile portion thin, light green, spreading, appearing mlate spring; 

 fertile part later, soon witbering. Rootstock very small, 

 ■with flesny roots; the stem and its divisions flesny, bearing 

 tne bud of next year in a hollow at the base. 



This fern, like its relative the ternate grape, may easily be 

 overlooked as a fern. It is rather common in moist w^oods. 

 The common name, rattlesnake fern, probably originated m 

 in the fancied resemblance of its stems of sporangia to tne rat- 

 tles of the snake. 



Pu^e Sixlv-iirit 



D, H. HfLL LIBRARY 



North Carolina State College 



