658 ffiE FERN FAMILY. 



I. B. Lunaria, Sw. (fig. 1279). Moonwort. Rootstock very small, 

 bearing a single erect stem, 3 to 6 or 8 inches high, surrounded at the 

 base by a few brown sheathing scales. The leaf or barren frond about 

 the centre of the stem, 1 to 3 inches long, pinnate, with from 5 to 15 or 

 even more obliquely fan-shaped or halfmoon-shaped segments, of a 

 thick consistence, and entire or crenate. Panicle 1 to near 2 inches 

 long, of a narrow pyramidal shape, the branches all turned towards 

 one side. 



In dry, hilly, or mountain pastures, in northern and Arctic Europe, 

 Asia, and America, in the mountains of central and southern Europe, 

 and reappearing in south temperate regions. Widely diffused over 

 Britain, but not generally common. Fr. spring or early summer. 



III. OSMUNDA. OSMUND. 



Fronds once or twice pinnate, the leafy part barren ; the fructifica- 

 tion consisting of clustered spore-cases, either in a panicle at the end 

 of the frond, or, in exotic species, in some other part of the frond, but 

 always distinct from the leaf -like part ; each spore-case opening by a 

 vertical fissure. 



A genus of few species, natives chiefly of the temperate regions of 

 both hemispheres, especially the northern one. 



1. O. regalis, Linn. (fig. 1280). Fern Royal. The perennial stock 

 often forms a trunk rising perceptibly from the ground, and sometimes 

 to the height of a foot or more. Fronds growing in tufts, erect, from a 

 foot or two in dry poor soils, to 8 or 10 feet when very luxuriant, twice 

 pinnate, with lanceolate or oblong segments, 1 to 2 inches long, rather 

 stiff, prominently veined, either entire or obscurely crenate. Fructifica- 

 tion forming a more or less compound panicle at the top of the frond, 

 usually bipinnate, each spike-like branch representing a segment of 

 the frond. 



In moist or boggy places, in western, central, and some parts of 

 southern and south-eastern Europe, extending northwards to southern 

 Scandinavia; also in central Asia, North and South America, and 

 southern Africa. In Britain, chiefly in the western counties of England 

 and Scotland, in Wales, and Ireland, apparently very local in other 

 parts of England, and entirely absent from several counties. Fr. end 

 of summer, or autumn. 



IV. POLYPODIUM. POLYPODY. 



Fronds (in the British species) either pinnate 01 ternately divided, 

 with the branches pinnate. Spore-cases minute, collected in circular 

 clusters or sori on the under side of the segments, without any indusium 

 or involucre ; each spore-case (as in all the following genera) encircled 

 by an elastic jointed ring, and bursting irregularly on one side, having 

 then, under a microscope', the appearance of a little helmet. 



A large genus, widely distributed over the globe, only differing from 

 Aqpidium in the absence of any indusium or membrane covering the 



