The oak fern {Phegopteris Dryopteris) is the greenest of all green 

 things in early spring 



Appears much later, when the fresh green of other ferns is passing. 

 The broad beech fern {Phegopteris hexagonoptera) 



The long beech fern (P. polypodioides) is another late comer. 

 Note the downward direction of the lower pinnae. 



Plate XII.— THE OAK AND THE BEECH FERNS 



