7O OUR NATIVE FERNS AND THEIR ALLIES. 



stipe; the method of cutting of the frond and the character of 

 its surface; the method of veining; the position of the fruit 

 clusters on the frond and veins, and the peculiar form of the 

 indusium, if present. The sporangia and spores are best 

 studied with a microscope, yet the shape of the sporangia and 

 the character of the ring can be determined with a strong lens. 

 151. The characters of the Maidenhair can be summed up 

 as follows : 



1 52. We are now prepared to determine the specific name, 

 and for this purpose will turn to the " ARTIFICIAL SYNOPSIS OF 

 ORDERS" (p. 75), where we read the statements under A, with 

 the first of which our plant agrees ; then to B as directed, where 

 we find it agrees with the third statement ; then to C, where we 

 determine the Order to which our plant belongs. After having 

 determined the plant to be a member of the order FILICES, we 

 proceed to the "ARTIFICIAL SYNOPSIS OF GENERA" (p. 82). 

 Reading the two statements under A we find our plant agrees 

 with the first, bearing the sporangia at the margin of a leafy 

 frond, so we proceed to B as indicated at the right-hand mar- 



