THE MALE FERN 89 



below the surface of the soil and lengthens very slowly, producing 

 each year a rosette of leaves. It is at first conical, with the 

 thin end downwards, since it grows thicker towards the top 

 for a time, and then becomes uniform, and it does not branch. 

 Branches are, however, formed from buds which arise on the 

 bases of some of the leaves, and eventually become separated 

 from the parent plant. The stem grows obliquely upwards, 

 and often becomes eight or nine inches long and two or three 

 inches thick, but the bulk of the thickness is due to the leaf- 

 bases which remain attached to the stem. Within the ex- 

 panded leaves are the young leaves which will unfold next year 

 and the next again, for the leaves grow slowly, and are recog- 

 nisable two years before they unfold. During the first year 

 the leaf-stalk is formed, and in the second the blade. The young 

 leaf is densely covered with brown scales, which persist along 

 the stalk of the mature leaf, and is coiled up like a watch spring, 

 each leaflet being similarly coiled. The coiling is due to the 

 more rapid growth of the lower side of the leaf ; when the leaf 

 unfolds the upper side grows the more rapidly, and the curves 

 are straightened out. 



The mature leaf has a long stalk, traversed by two lateral 

 ridges, and bearing two side rows of leaflets corresponding in 

 position to these ridges. The leaflets begin rather abruptly 

 at the base of the blade, become longer higher up, and gradually 

 become shorter again towards the pointed tip of the leaf. Each 

 leaflet is either deeply lobed or subdivided into smaller leaflets. 

 The spore-masses, chiefly found in the upper part of the leaf, 

 on the lower sides of the leaflets, and on the larger lobes or divi- 

 sions, are arranged in two short rows, one on either side of the 

 midrib, each mass lying over a vein. The cluster of spore-cases 

 is covered by an umbrella-like scale, differing from an umbrella 

 in being slit inwards as far as the short " handle " on one side, 

 so as to have a kidney-shape as seen in surface view. This scale 

 protects the young spore-cases against rain, sun, and wind ; 

 when the spores are ripe it withers. 



The male fern grows in various habitats dry woods, wet 

 woods, hedgerows, beside streams, among rocks though rarely 

 occurring in very open and exposed places. It is more easily 



