276 



PRACTICAL BOTANY 



In all except the tree ferns, the parts of the plants that we 

 see are the leaves, the stems and roots being underground. 

 We shall understand the fern class as a whole better if we 

 study one plant in detail, and then consider other forms. 



FIG. 229. Tree ferns (Alsophila) upon the bank of a stream in Mexico 

 The larger plant is almost 40 feet in height. Photograph by W. J. G. Land 



257. A fern plant: the rootstock (rhizome). If we carefully 

 remove the soil from the underground part of one of the com- 

 mon ferns, we shall find the horizontal rootstock (rhizome) 



