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MOONWOET. 



will be clearly perceived ; the stipes is swollen, and rather 

 stouter than the upper part, the two branches of which face 

 each other, the fertile branch of the frond being clasped by the 

 barren or leafy part ; and, the fructification being thus entirely 

 concealed, the uppermost pinnae are incurved, as if to give still 

 further protection to the fruit : the whole is invested and com- 

 pletely inclosed in scale-hke alternate sheaths, doubtless the 

 decaying stalks of many previous years. As the spring advan- 

 ces the frond rapidly increases in size, until, in April, it makes 

 its appearance above ground, and in May or June attains its 

 perfect development. Mr. Wilson observed, as long ago as 

 1830, that within the stem of the growing frond, at its base, 

 was inclosed the frond for the ensuing year ; and again, within 

 this, also at its base, the frond for the next following year. Mr. 

 Wilson having most kindly communicated to me this very inte- 

 resting observation, during the fol- 

 lowing spring I carefully examined an 

 abundant supply of specimens, for 

 which I am indebted to Mr. Hanson, 

 of Eeigate ; and I am thus enabled to 

 give a magnified figure of one of these 

 future fronds. I find the frond of the 

 ensuing year in every respect perfectly 

 formed ; indeed, exactly in the same 

 state in which it is found in the early 

 spring, as above described, but some- 

 The frond for the next following year is less 

 perfectly formed, indeed, its component parts are not to be 

 made out without some difficulty ; still it is evidently bifid, the 

 fruitful and leafy portions being already distinct from each 

 other. These observations were made in May, 1843, while the 

 plant was still growing with apparent vigour ; so that we have 

 the fronds for three successive years before us at the same 

 time. In the plants I examined, the fronds were placed alter- 

 nately ; that is, having laid all the specimens before me, with 

 the fruit on the right hand, and the leafy portion on the left, 

 then the frond for 1844 invariably had the fruit on the left and 

 the leafy portion on the right : the frond for 1845 appeared to 

 be again reversed, having the fruit on the right and the leafy 

 part on the left. 



what smaller. 



