222 



ORDER CXLin. LYCOPODIACE^E — CLUIi-MOSS-FAMIL\' . 



2. W. ilvensis. Woolly Fern. 



Frond oblong-lanceolate in outline, smoothish and light-green above, 

 covered with a reddish wool beneath, as also the stipe ; pinnaa oblong, almost 

 pinnate ; ultimate segments crenately and minutely toothed ; sori attached near 

 the margin, at length almost confluent A little fern, 4'— 6' high, distinguisbed 

 by the hairy under surface of the frond. Common on rocks. June. 



9. dkt6pteeis. 



Sori round. Indusium Bomewliat flattened, roundish-reni- 

 form, opening all round. 



1. D. Thelypteris. 



Frond lanceolate In outline, pinnate, tapering in width from base to apex; 

 pinnjB linear-lanceolate, deeply pinnatlfld; ultimate segments oblong, obtuse, 

 nearly entire, revolutc on the margin ; sori crowded, at length confluent A 

 common fern in low grounds and swamps. Frond 10' — 18' high. Juhj — Aug. 



2. D. Noveboracensis. 



Frond oblong-lanceolate in outline, pinnate, tapering in width to the apex, 

 except near the base, where the lower pairs become shorter than those above 

 and are bent down; pinnaa linear-lanceolate, deeply pinnatifid; ultimate seg- 

 ments oblong, obtuse, nearly entire, not revolute at the margin. Sori scattered, 

 marginal, not at any time confluent A common species in wet grounds, much 

 resembling the last, but of a paler green, and with the texture of the foliage 

 somewhat more delicate. Frond 10'— 18' high. July— Aug. 



3. D. intermedia. Shield Fern. 



Frond obiong-ovate in outline, bipinnate, of a rather dark, shining green ; 

 segments narrow-oblong, obtuse ; lower ones deeply pinnatifid, with sharply 

 toothed lobes; upper ones pinnatifidly cut, with more or less toothed lobes; 

 serrate teeth 'of the ultimate segments tipped with soft, short bristles. Sori 

 sparsely scattered. A very common species in woods, 1 — 2 ft. high. July. 



4. D. cristata. Crested Shield-Fern. 



Frond narrow-oblong in outline, pinnate; pinnfe short, ovate or oblong, 

 very broad at base, so as to appear somewhat triangular, acute, usually alter- 

 nate, deeply pinnatifid ; lowest segments oblong, obtuse, nearly pinnatifid, the 

 others finely serrate, or toothed ; sori large, in a single row, between the mid- 

 vein and the margin often confluent A rather common species in swamps 

 and low grounds, distinguished by its long, narrow, dark -green fronds, which 

 arel — 3 ft high, with a scaly stipe. July. 



5. D. marginale. Marginal Shield-Fern. 



Frond oblong-ovate in outline, bi-pinnate ; pinn» lanceolate, broad at base; 

 ultimate segments oblong, obtuse, more or less crenately toothed; upper ones 

 decurrent; sori large, arranged entirely on the margin. A large, elegant fern, 

 common in moist, rocky woods, 10' — 15' high ; distinguished by its entirely 

 marginal sori. 



10. POLYSTICHUM. 



Sori round. Indusium orbicular, peltate, depressed, attached 

 to the centre, opening all round. 



1, P. acrostichoides. Chaffy Shield-Fern. 



Frond lanceolate In outline, on a chaflfy stipe, pinnate ; pinnae nearly or quite 

 alternate, distinct, lanceolate, and somewhat falcate, on short stalks, serrate, 

 rarely cut and lobed, teeth tipped with bristles; upper one smaller, and bear- 

 ing the sori near the mid-rib, which at first merely contiguous, soon become con- 

 fluent, and cover the surface. A very common fern, with dark, evergreen 

 foliage, growing 1—2 ft high, in woods. July. 



11. ON"OCL:^A. 



Fronds fertile and sterile. Fertile frond bipinnate ; alternate 

 segments very strongly revolute, forming a sort of berry-shaped 

 involucres, containing the sporangia. Sori at first separate, at 

 length confluent. Indusium thin, cucuHate, attached bythe lower 

 side. 



1. 0. sensibilis. Sensitive Fern. 



sterile fronds in clumps, on long, smooth stipes, broad-triangular in outline, 

 deeply pinnatifid, almost pinnate ; segments oblong- lanceolate, entire or undu- 

 late and toothed, varying to pinnatifid; upper segments passing into each 



other. A very common fern in low grounds, especially the sterile fronds, with 

 a remarkable difference between the sterile and the smaller, fertile fronds ; 10 

 —18' high. July. 



12. OSMteDA. 

 Sporangia globose, pedicellate, naked, opening with 2 valves, 

 entirely covering the surface of the much contracted fertile 

 fronds, or fertile pinnae. 



1. 0. spectibilis. 



Flowering Fern. 



stipe smooth; frond bipinnate, entirely smooth, bearing the fruit in a ter- 

 minal, contracted, racemose panicle; ultimate segments oblong-lanceolate, dis- 

 tinct, serrate, rather oblique at base. An elegant fern, 2 — 3 ft high, distin- 

 guished by the terminal, reddish -brown, bipinnate panicle, formed of the con- 

 tracted segments of the frond. Common in swamps and low grounds, June. 



2. 0. cinnain6mea. Cinnamon Fern. 



sterile and fertile fronds separate, appearing at the same time, each clothed 

 with long, rusty wool ; sterile fronds at length smooth, pinnate ; pinnae lanceo- 

 late, pinnatifid; ultimate segments broad, ovate-oblong, obtuse, entire ; fertile 

 fronds bipinnate, mucli contracted, nearly or quite covered with the reddish 

 sporangia. A very common fern growing in clumps in low grounds and 

 swamps. The fertile fronds soon decay, but the barren fronds continue to 

 grow, attaining the height of 3 — 6 ft May— June. 



3. 0. Claytoniana. Interrujpted Fern. 



Fronds at first woolly, especially at base, soon smooth, pinnate; pinna3 ob 

 long-lanceolate, deeply pinnatifid, except a few which are near the middle, and 

 when full grown are completely pinnate and fertile, covered with reddish-brown 

 sporangia; ultimate segments of the sterile pinnse oblong, obtuse. A very 

 common fern in low grounds, 2—6 ft. high, distinguished by its middle, fertile 

 pinnse between sterile ones at base and summit May — Jicne. 



18. BOTR"^CHIUM. 



Frond consisting of 2 portions, a terminal, pinnately-parted, 

 contracted, racemose, fertile segment, and a lateral, sterile seg- 

 ment. Sporangia sessile, distinct, clustered, opening by 2 trans 

 verse valves. 



1. E. Yirginicum. Rattlesnake Fern. 



Plant somewhat hairy; sterile frond situated above the middle, ternately 

 divided completely to the sessile base, triangular in outline ; primary divisions 

 pinnate; pinnte pinnately divided; ultimate segments oblong-lanceolale, pin- 

 natifidly cut and toothed; fertile frond bipinnate, forming a contracted, race- 

 mose, pedunculate panicle. A beautiful fern, common in rich, rocky woods, 

 1—2 ft. high. July. 



Ordek CXLIII. Lycopodidcese. — Chtb-mosS' 

 family. 



1. LTCOPdDIUM. 

 Sporangia compressed, mostly reniform, 1-celled, opening by 

 2 transverse valves, axillary, usually in a kind of spike consist- 

 ing of reduced leaves or bracts, with the sporangia in their axils, 

 or sometimes contained in the axils of the proper leaves. 



* Sporangia in the axils of the proper leaves. 



1. L. lucidulum. Shining Club-moss. 



stems thick, simple or dichotomous, with a few ascending branches; leaves 

 dark green, in about 8 rows, more or less spreading or recurved, linear-lanceo- 

 late, acute ; stem 4'— 8' high, thickly clothed with the rigid, dark green leavcSi 

 which are larger than in the other species. Common in low rich woods. Aug. 



* * Sporangia in distinct spikes 



2. L. dendroideum. Tree Club-moss. 



stem erect, simple below, with the linear- lanceolate, short and erect, ap 

 pressed leaves in 4 rows, dividing above Into many, nearly or quite erect, cylin- 

 drical branches ; spikes 1—3, cylindrical, sessile, the branches being leafy tc 

 the top. A handsome little tree-like evergreen, arising from a creeping rhizo 

 ma. Common in moist woods. Stem 6' — 8' high. Aug. 



