280 FILICES — FERNS. 



Habitat. — In rocky woods, from Lake Superior westward ; common in 

 Europe. 



Aspidium marginale Swartz. — 3Iarginal Shield-Fern. 



Description. — Fruit-dots similar to the preceding, but placed close to 

 the margin of the fertile pinnules. Fronds evergreen, almost coriaceous, 

 ovate-oblong, 1 to 2 feet high, bipinnate, the pennae lanceolate, broadest 

 at the base ; pinnules oblong or oblong-scythe-shaped, obtuse, entire or 

 obscurely crenately toothed. Stipes chaffy at the base. Rootstock similar 

 to the jDreceding. 



Habitat. — On rocky hills ; common. 



Part Used. — The rhizome of both sj)ecies. Official name : Aspidium 

 — United States Pharmacoj^oeia. 



Constituents. — Proximate analysis of male-fern has yielded different re- 

 sults to different chemists. For practical purposes it is sufficient to know 

 that its active principles reside in an oleo-resin, and that its other consti- 

 tuents are unimportant. 



Preparations. — Oleo-resina aspidii — oleo-resin of aspidium. — United 

 States Pharmacopoeia. 



Medical Propjerties and Uses. — Oleo-resin of male-fern is one of the 

 best known remedies for tapeworm, and also one of the most efficient. 

 Doubtless ranch of the disappointment experienced with it is attributable 

 to inefficient preparations. Siuce, however, it has been demonstrated 

 that A. marginale is quite as efficient, and, as this species is very abun- 

 dant, there is now no good reason why reliable jDreparations should not 

 be the rule rather than, as heretofore, the excej^tion. 



OSMUNDA.— Flowering Fern. 



Osmunda regalis Linne. — Floivering Fern. 



Descripjtion. — Sporangia naked, globular, short-pedicelled, densely ag- 

 gregated along the margins of the very much contracted upper pinnules of 

 the frond, the whole appearing to the casual observer like amass of minute, 

 tawny flowers. Fronds 2 to 5 feet high, clustered, very smooth, pale green, 

 bipinnate ; sterile pinnules, 13 to 25, oblong-oval, or lance-oblong, mi- 

 nutely serrulate, occasionally crenately-lobed at the base. 



Habitat. — In swamps and wet places ; common both here and in 

 Europe. 



Part Used. — The rhizome — not official. 



Constituents. — Mucilaginous and astringent princii^les. 



Preparations. — Used in decoction. 



Medical Properties and Uses. — Flowering fern was at one time consid- 

 ered efficacious in rachitis, but it is now believed to be nearly inert, and 

 is rarely if ever employed medicinally. 



