490 FKItX FAMILY. 



V. OSMUNDA or FLOWERING FEKN SUBFAMILY. 

 Rather large Ferns; the spore cases covered with reticulated 

 ridges, opening longitudinally into two valves, and with no 

 ring, or a mere vestige of a transverse ring at the back. 



29. OSMUNDA. Uootstock very tliick, creeping, the growing end producing a crown of 

 tall showy fronds. Fertile fronds or parts of fronds contracted, pinnately compound, 

 the narrow often thread-like divisions densely covered with nearly sessile spore 



1. ACROSTICHUM § CHRYSODIUM. (Greek : a row at the top, the 

 api)licati(iu not evident.) All tropical. 



A. atireum, Linn. A large evergreen Fern, along the coast of S. Fla.; 

 the tniiids simply pinnate, coriaceous, 2°-G° long; pinnae 4'-0' long, 

 l'-2' wide, elliptical or oblong-linear. 



2. PLATYCERIUM, STAG-HORN FERN. (Nfime from the Greek, 

 meaning broad horns.) Natives of Africa, Australia, etc.; cult, in 

 conservatories. 



P. alcicdrne, Gaud. Sterile fronds sessile, rather thin, flat and rounded, 

 overlapping each other ; fertile ones erect, 1° high, whitish and minutely 

 downy beneath, 2-3 times forked, with divisions about V wide, the top- 

 most ones fruitful. 



3. POLYPODIUM, POLYPODY. {Greek: many-footed, veierimg to 

 the branching rootstock.) An immense genus, found in all parts of the 

 world. 



§1. PoLYPODicM proper. Veins free ; the fuUovinfj native. 



P. vulgire, Linn. Common Polvpodv. Rocky places N.; small, 

 simply pinnatitid, evergreen, smooth both sides, 4'-10' high, l'-3' wide, 

 the numerous divisions oblong-linear; fruit dots rather large. (Lessons, 

 Fig. 4i)«.) 



P. inc^num, Swartz. Shady places, Va., to 111., and S., often on trees ; 

 much like the last, but much smaller, and beneath grayish and scurfy, 

 with peltate scales ; fruit dots rather small. 



§ 2. PuLEBODiL'M. Vetns reticulated, with free veinlets included in the 

 larger meshes. Fruit dots in 1-3 rotes between the midrib and mar(/in, 

 commonly placed each one on the convcrcjing ends of a pair of veinlets. 



P. atireum, Linn. A large showy Fern of Fla., and cult, from West 

 Indies; fronds on a .stout stalk, broadly ovate in outline, smooth, pale- 

 green above, glaucous beneath, pinnately parted into 5-9 or more oblong- 

 linear or lanceolate spreading divisions. 



4. GYMNOGRAMME § CEROPTERIS. (Greek : a naked line, from 

 the elongated fruit dots.) The following cult, species have free veins, 

 and the under surface of the fronds covered witli a yellow or whitLsh 

 waxy powder. 



* Fronds small and distinctly triangular or b-angular. 



G. triangularis, Kaulf. Camfokxian Gold Fkrn. Frond 4'-G' long, 

 on slender and polished stalks, broadly 3- or rather o-angled in outline, 

 twice pinnate below, pinnate above ; pinnae oblong-lanceolate, deeply 

 pinnatifid into obtuse lobes. Smooth and green above^ beneath of a rich 



