32 THE OSMUNDAS. 



although in reality they are the most essential part of 

 the frond. The sterile fronds are broader and blunter 

 than those of the cinnamon fern and also lack the little 

 tuft of wool at the base of each pinna. 



The fruiting pinnae are at first dark ashy-green and at 

 a short distance appear almost black, in pleasing contrast 

 to the golden-green of the rest of the frond. The spores 

 are often ripe before the tips of the fronds have unfurled 

 and the parts that bear them soon turn brown and 

 wither away. This species frequently presents curious 

 transitions between fertile and sterile fronds. Some- 

 times all the pinnules on one side of the midrib will be 

 fertile and those on the other side, sterile ; or the dilated 

 green sterile pinnules will be scattered among the con- 

 tracted and brown fertile ones. Occasionally spores are 

 borne on the underside of the frond after the manner of 

 the polypody and most of our common ferns. 



A strong plant will often bear fifteen fronds, half of 

 which are fertile. The sterile spread broadly outward 

 but the fertile are nearly erect with only the tips spread- 

 ing, making two tiers of green, the taller with a pretty 

 palm-like effect. 



In folk-lore, the interrupted fern shares the honours 

 with the cinnamon fern, being so near like it. It is 

 found from Newfoundland to North Carolina, Missouri 

 and Minnesota and is reported to grow in India. From 

 the appearance of the fertile frond it was once called 

 O. interrupta. Its preference ( for stony soil is very 

 evident. With us it is sometimes called Clayton's fern. 



'The Flowering Fern. 



The flowering fern (Osmunda regalis) is the only 

 member of its tribe that is common to both Europe and 



