,o8 THE CHRISTMAS AND HOLLY FERNS. 



The fronds of an allied species are 

 similarly used for decorations in the 

 West. ' 



The Christmas fern is found from 

 southern Canada to Florida, Missis- 

 sippi, Arkansas and Wisconsin. Its 

 favourite haunt is probably a rocky 

 " side hill," sloping away from the 

 south and covered with a variety of 

 deciduous trees, but it does not disdain 

 the evergreen woods or even the scrub- 

 by roadsides. Even after the shelter- 

 ing copse is cut off, it manages 

 to exist for some time in the 

 sunlight though with stunted 

 and dull coloured fronds. In 

 the West, our species is repre- 

 sented by P. munitum which 

 has the same eared pinnules and 

 looks much like it but lacks 

 the narrowed tips in the fertile 

 fronds. Our plant is frequent 

 in out-door cultivation, its hard- 

 iness making it one of the most 

 satisfactory species for this 

 purpose. 



The Holly Fern. 



It is quite in keeping with 

 our ideas of such matters that 

 the holly fern (Poly stic hum 

 lonchitis) should be an ever- 

 green and nearest of kin to the 



HOLLY FERN. 

 Polystichum lonchitis. 



