i. 



ROYAL FERN FAMILY. 

 OSMUNDA 



Sp. PI. 1063. ,; 



Tall swamp ferns, growing in large crowns, with the fertile ( spore-bearing) portions 

 very much contracted, the short-pedicelled naked sporanges on the margins of their racbi*- 

 like divisions, which are destitute of chlorophyll. Veins forked, very regular and prom- 

 inent. Sporanges thin, reticulated, opening by a longitudinal cleft into two halves, a few 

 parallel thickening cells near the apex representing the rudimentary transverse ring. Spores 

 copious, green. [From Osmunder, a name for the god Thor. 1 



Six species, mostly of the north temperate zone. Only the following occur in North America 

 Leaves bipinnate, fertile at the apex. : 



Sterile leaves bipinnatifid. 



Pinnae of sterile leaf with a tuft of tomentum at base ; fertile leaf di-tinet from -.t. 



Pinnae of sterile leaf without a tuft of tomcntum at base ; leaves fertile in the middle 



:ia. 



i. Osmunda regalis L 

 (Fig. 8.) 



Royal Fern. 



Osmunda regalis L- Sp. PI. 1065. 1753. 



Rootstock stout, bearing a cluster of several 

 tall bipinnate leaves, 2-6 high, and i or more 

 wide. Sterile pinnae 6'-i2' long, 2'~4' wide, 

 the pinnules oblong-ovate or lanceolate-oblong, 

 sessile or slightly stalked, glabrous, finely ser- 

 rulate, especially near the apex and occasionally 

 crenate towards the base which is truncate, 

 oblique or even cordate ; fertile pinnules linear- 

 cylindric, panicled at the summit, withering 

 and shrivelling with age, greenish before ma- 

 turity, but becoming dark brown after the 

 spores have fallen. 



In swamps and marshes, New Brunswick to 

 Florida, west to the Northwest Territory and Mis 

 sissippi. Also in Mexico, Europe and Asia. As- 

 cends to 3000 ft. in Virginia. May-July. 



Osmunda cinnamomea L. Cinnamon Fern. (Fig. 9.) 



Osmunda finnanini,-ti I. Sp 1M i""> 



Rootstock very large, widely creeping, bear- 

 ing a circular cluster of sterile leave* with one 

 or more fertile ones within. Stipes i or mote 

 long, clothed with ferruginous tomentum when 

 young, glabrous when old ; sterile kaves 1 

 long, glabrous when mature, except a small tuft 

 of tomentum at the base o: ?a ; pinnae 



linear-lanceolate, deeply pinnatifid intooblotiK 

 obtuse segments ; fertile leaf contracted, bipin- 

 nate, soon withering ; sporanges cinnamon-col- 

 ored after the copious green spore* have been 

 discharged. 



In xvet placet, 1 l t" Minnesota. *0Ul 



to Florida and Mexico 1 



variously intermediate U-t" 



ile: some U-injr sterile .it the apex. < 



middle, others on <me side only Awnds 



in Virginia. May-June. 



