DESCRIPTIONS OF N.Z. FERNS. i57 



remarkable faft in the life-history of this species, is the great length of time which is 

 required for the development of the frond, before it rises above the surface of the soil. 

 On making a longitudinal seftion of a mature stem, the embryo frond for the ensuing 

 year is seen to be sufficiently advanced to allow of the sterile and fertile portions being 

 easily distinguished, the former being already coloured green at the tip ; even the 

 pinnules can be recognised, notwithstanding their rudimentary condition. Enclosed 

 in the basal portion of this embryonic frond, we find the embryo for the second 

 following year, and this again encloses the embryo for the third year following. The 

 embryo for the second year is differentiated into sterile and fertile parts ; but the 

 component parts of the frond for the third year can scarcely be made out. It is only 

 in the fourth year that the fronds appear above ground. It should be added that the 

 embryo fronds are arranged in an alternating position, so that if the frond destined to 

 rise above ground next year has the fertile portion direfted to the right, the frond for 

 the second following year will have the panicle directed to the left. Attention was 

 first directed to the lengthened period required for the development of the fronds, 

 rather more than fifty years ago, by the Mr. W. Wilson, of Warrington, the well-known 

 bryologist." 



It will be seen from the above, that this little fern is well worth searching for, in 

 swampy, but not very wet places, during the summer months only. English experience 

 indicates that, to cultivate the plant, it is necessary either to take up a clod of 

 earth containing it, or to mark the spot, and transplant it when dormant in the winter. 

 It will grow in sandy or peaty soil, but the extremes of dryness and moisture must be 

 avoided. 



BOTRYCHIUM TERNATUM. (Bo-trik-e-um ter-na-tum) 



"RATTLESNAKE FERN" OF NORTH AMERICA. 

 PLATE XX., Nos. 5, and 5a. 



This fern is found in the Northern Hemisphere, in Lapland, Siberia, Japan, Nootka, 

 Hudson's Bay Territory southward to New Granada, Hungary, and the Pyrenees ; and 

 in the Southern one, in Australia Tasmania, and New Zealand. In the last it is pretty 

 common, generally among the bracken or manuka scrub, and on various soils. The 

 finest specimens I have seen were on rich sandy loam, among fern, inland of the 

 famous Tauranga-ahika pa ; some of them being fully eighteen inches high. The fern 

 is called the " Rattlesnake fern " in North America, because its occurrence is 

 supposed to indicate a likeHhood of there being those dreaded reptiles in the vicinitv. 

 It is not supposed to harbour them, but merely to grow in situations such as they would 

 frequent, and thus to operate as a caution to beware of snakes. It is supposed to be 

 slightly poisonous to cattle, but I never could learn on what grounds. 



This fern has no distinfl: rhizome, but springs at once from long fleshy roots 

 The stipes is erect, stout, fleshy, brown or yellow, and very variable in lenoth. In 



