The oak fern (Phegopteris Dryopteris) is the greenest of all green 

 things in early spring 



Appears much later, when the fresh green of other ferns is passing. 

 The broad beech fern (Phegopteris hexagonoptera) 



The long beech fern (P. polypodioides} is another late comer. 

 Note the downward direction of the lower pinnae. 



PLATE XII. THE OAK AND THE BEECH FERNS 



