CHAPTER IV 

 THREE DAINTY FERNS 



A LTHOUGH the members of the family 

 ^/-^Hymenophyllacese are largely tropical, we 

 are fortunate in having three representatives 

 in the United Kingdom. Two of these, both 

 Filmy Ferns, are not so familiar to people as 

 they might be, if folk were only a little more 

 observant ; whilst the Bristle Fern is only to 

 be found in the South of Ireland. All the 

 species require an abundance of moisture, 

 and they attain their greatest perfection on 

 rocks which are dripping with water. 



Trichomanes radicans. The generic name is 

 said to be derived from two Greek words 

 thrix, " a hair," and manos, " soft " ; the 

 specific name is obviously connected with the 

 Latin radix, " a root," and has reference to 

 the creeping rhizome. The Bristle Fern. 



This species is quite one of the most beautiful 

 of our native species. Its fronds are very 

 graceful in form, and are of such a delicate 

 texture as to be almost transparent. The 

 general outline of the fronds is triangular in 

 shape. The leaves, varying in length from 

 three inches to a foot, rise from a black, creeping 

 rhizome, which will often cover a large area 

 on a moist rock with a perfect network. The 

 stipes or bare portion of the frond is, as a rule, 



