52 



spike of fruit. Sometimes it will be found with fertile and sterile 

 pinnules on the same little division of the frond. 



28. OSMUNDA CLAYTONIANA L. 

 Interrupted Flowering Fern. 



(So called as the fruit is found in the middle of the frond, with 

 sterile pinnae above and below the fruited ones.) A sterile frond 

 closely resembles that of the next, but is more delicate, broader 

 towards the top, and the segments more rounded. Specimens are 

 found fruited nearly all the way up from the base and one I believe 

 clear to the top. Common ; fine localities in North Andover, Tops- 

 field and Salem. 



29. OSMUNDA CINNAMOMEA L. 

 Cinnamon Fern. 



(So called from its color when coming into fruit.) Familiar to all 

 in pastures and by the roadside, throwing up its tall spikes of fruit in 

 the centre of a whorl of sterile fronds. Often when in the shade I 

 have found sterile fronds of this six feet long. 



30. Var. frondosa is a state where a portion of the sterile frond 

 becomes fertile, very curiously imitating the fertile fronds of No. 

 28. Found everywhere. 



31. LYGODIUM PALMATUM Swartz. 



- Climbing Fern. 



Found at Saugus. I have not searched for it myself, but add it on 

 the authority of Mr. G. E. Emery, of Lynn, a specimen being in the 

 Institute collection from him. 3 All know this fern, and a descrip- 

 tion is unnecessary. Judging by the way it is sold in Boston one can 

 hardly help thinking that if the practice of tearing it up so recklessly 

 continues, it will soon be quite scarce, even at the Windsor and Con- 

 cord localities. 



32. OPHIOGLOSSUM VULGATUM L. 



Adder's Tongue Fern. 



I know of but one locality for this in the county, in Beverly, where 

 it was first noticed by J. H. Emerton, 1872. No doubt others are to 

 be found, as owing to its inconspicuous habits the fern is easily over- 

 looked. Meadows and wet ground about the clumps of bushes and 

 hummocks are the places to be searched for it. 



3 The above locality is endorsed by Mr. C. M. Tracy. 



