56 THE NEW METHOD 



" The frond is a little more than twice the length of 

 the stipe. The upper side is of a bright, dark green 

 color, but on the under side it is much lighter col- 

 ored and very smooth and shiny. The rachis is not 

 winged, but has chaff growing out on each side, 

 which when pulled out leaves a little dot, like those 

 on the under side of the stipe. There is also a broad 

 line near the center of the rachis, as on the stipe. 

 The pinnae are alternate, and grow nearer together 

 near the apex than near the base. There are twenty- 

 four on one side of the rachis and twenty-three on 

 the other. Those pinnae near the middle of the 

 frond are about three inches in length and one-half 

 an inch in breadth, while the two lower pinnae are 

 only about two inches long, and the upper ones are 

 so small it is difficult to count them. The pinnules 

 are alternate, and have an entire margin. They are 

 about a third of an inch long and one-fourth of an 

 inch broad. They are as broad at the base as they 

 are at the apex, the latter being round and broad. 

 The veins are of a dark brownish-green color, and 

 the apex of the pinnae curves upward. 



11 The Aspidium marginale takes its first name from 

 the sori, which is covered with a little napkin that 

 is in the shape of a shield, Aspidium in Greek mean- 

 ing a little shield, and its last name, marginale, from 



