490 FERN FAMILY. 



V. OSMUNDA or FLOWERING FERN SUBFAMILY. 

 Rather large Ferns ; the spore cases covered with reticulated 

 ridges, opening longitudinally into two valves, and with no 

 ring, or a mere vestige of a transverse ring at the back. 



29. OSMUNDA. Rootstock very thick, creeping, the growing end producing a crown of 

 tall showy fronds. Fertile fronds or parts of fronds contracted, pinnately compound, 

 the narrow often thread-like divisions densely covered with nearly sessile spore 

 cases. 



1. ACROSTICHUM CHRYS6DIUM. (Greek : a row at the top, the 

 application not evident.) All tropical. 



A. aureum, Linn. A large evergreen Fern, along the coast of S. Fla.; 

 the fronds simply pinnate, coriaceous, 2-6 long; pinnae 4M>' long, 

 l'-2' wide, elliptical or oblong-linear. 



2. PLATYCERIT7M, STAG-HORN FERN. (Name from the Greek, 

 meaning broad horns.) Natives of Africa, Australia, etc.; cult, in 

 conservatories. 



P. alcicdrne, Gaud. Sterile fronds sessile, rather thin, flat and rounded, 

 overlapping each other ; fertile ones erect, 1 high, whitish and minutely 

 downy beneath, 2-3 times forked, with divisions about 1' wide, the top- 

 most ones fruitful. 



3. POLYFODIUM, POLYPODY. (Greek : many-footed, referring to 

 the branching rootstock.) An immense genus, found in all parts of the 

 world. 



1. POLTPODIUM proper. Veins free; the following native. 



P. vulg&re, Linn. COMMON POLYPODY. Rocky places N.; small, 

 simply pinnatifid, evergreen, smooth both sides, 4'-10' high, l'-3' wide, 

 the numerous divisions oblong-linear; fruit dots rather large. (Lessons, 

 Fig. 499.) 



P. incanum, Swartz. Shady places, Va., to 111., and S., often on trees ; 

 much like the last, but much smaller, and beneath grayish and scurfy, 

 with peltate scales ; fruit dots rather small. 



2. PHLEBODIUM. Veins reticulated, with free veinlets included in the 

 larger meshes. Fruit dots in 1-3 rows between the midrib and margin, 

 commonly placed each one on the converging ends of a pair of veinlets. 



P. aureum. Linn. A large showy Fern of Fla., and cult, from West 

 Indies ; fronds on a stout stalk, broadly ovate in outline, smooth, pale- 

 green above, glaucous beneath, pinnately parted into 5-9 or more oblong- 

 linear or lanceolate spreading divisions. 



4. GYMNOGRAMME CER6PTERIS. (Greek : a naked line, from 

 the elongated fruit dots.) The following cult, species have free veins, 

 and the under surface of the fronds covered with a yellow or whitish 

 waxy powder. 



* Fronds small and distinctly triangular or ^-angular. 



G. triangularis, Kaulf . CALIFORNIAN GOLD FERN. Frond 4'-6' long, 

 on slender and polished stalks, broadly 3- or rather 5-angled in outline, 

 twice pinnate below, pinnate above ; pinnae oblong-lanceolate, deeply 

 pinnatifid into obtuse lobes. Smooth and green above, beneath of a rich 



