44 RATTLESNAKE FERN AND ADDER'S-TONGUE. 



the supposition that they rest in 

 alternate years. Something of 

 this kind is hinted to exist among 

 the adder's-tongues, and as the 

 Botrychiums are closely allied, 

 they may have the same habit. 



The name of rattlesnake fern is 

 probably due to the likeness 

 which may be fancied to exist 

 between the spikes of fruit and 

 the rattles of the serpent. It 

 is sometimes called the grape 

 fern, also in allusion to its clus- 

 ters of spore-cases, but 

 this-title more properly 

 belongs to a related 

 species. In the south- 

 ern Alleghanies it is fre- 

 quently known as " in. 

 dicator" 

 from the 

 supposi- 

 tion that 

 i t s occur- 

 rence indi- 

 cates the 

 proximity 



o f ginseng. Hemlock - leaved 

 moonwort and Virginia moonwort 

 are obvious derivations, the true 

 moonwort belonging to the Botry- 

 chium family. 



RATTLESNAKE FERN. Botrychiunt Virginianum. 



