THE SENSITIVE AND OSTRICH FERNS. 257 



The Ostrich Fern. 



The ostrich fern (Struthiopteris Germanica) is the tallest 

 of eastern American ferns and by many regarded as the 

 handsomest. It is at its best in the wet, sandy soil of a 

 half-shaded island or river shore and in such situations 

 puts up magnificent crowns of fronds that often reach a 

 length of seven feet. In the northern United States, 

 there are many jungle-like thickets of this species in 

 which a man of ordinary height may stand and be com- 

 pletely hidden. 



The rootstock is thick and erect, usually projecting 

 slightly above the surface. During winter the crosiers 

 are covered with an abundance of coarse brown scales, 

 but when they begin to grow these are soon thrown 

 off. They develop very rapidly, often lengthening six 

 inches in a day. The fronds rise in circular crowns and 

 spread gracefully outward in shuttlecock fashion after 

 the manner of the cinnamon fern, which this species, in 

 general appearance, greatly resembles. They are ob- 

 lanceolat^jM^adest toward the apex and gradually re- 

 duced dfl Ad to the short stipes. They are pinnate 

 with ve^B Bv P a i rs of l n g narrow pinnae which are 

 again cut^HSly to the midrib into close, short, slightly 

 falcate, acute or obtuse lobes. The lowest pinnae are 

 often less than an inch long, yhile the longest often 

 exceed eight inches. 



The early fronds are always sterile. About July the 

 fertile fronds come up in their midst. They are quite 

 short, stiff and simply pinnate, and look so much like 

 stunted sterile fronds as frequently to deceive the am- 

 ateur cultivator. The fruiting pinnae are necklace-like 



