BRITISH FERNS. 



99 



diffuse, and at last entirely lose their rigid compressed appear- 

 ance. 



The barren frond differs in having the leafy portion continued 

 to the very apex, where it terminates much as in the true ferns. 

 The venation in a barren pinnula is shewn at page 97, where it 

 will be seen that the lateral veins branch alternately from the 

 midvein, soon after leaving which, each is forked, and one or both 

 of the branches are usually again divided, and all the branches 

 run in parallel lines to the extreme margin of the pinnula. 



Withering observes of this " flower-crowned prince of 

 English Ferns," that it is available for rockwork, especially if 

 moved with a portion of bog-earth, and can scarcely fail to 

 appear ornamental in any situation. In moving it, great care 

 should be taken to avoid cutting with the spade its enormous 

 rhizoma, an injury which it may perhaps survive, but which so 

 weakens the plant that it will not for years recover its pristine 

 vigour. This rhizoma, when cut through, has a whitish centre or 

 core, called by old Gerard, in his Herbal, " the heart of Osmund 

 the waterman." Withering deduces the name Osmunda from 

 the Saxon word mund, signifying strength, in allusion to the 

 supposed invigorating virtues of this fern. 



