342 



LUSSOA'S WITB PLANTS 



LXVI FERNS 



Fig. 357. 



Fruiting pinnules of maiden- 

 hair fern. 



424. Maidenhair ferns are frequent in woods, 

 and are common in cultivation. The leaves of 



large or mature plants often 



have a stiffish and angular 



look, and if such leaves are 



examined it will be found 



that the edges are turned 



under (as in Fig. 357). If 



these flaps are raised, many 



minute brownish bodies will 



be discovered, adhering to 



their surface. These bodies, 



which are called sporangia 



or spore -cases, contain numerous spores, which are 



barely visible to the naked eye ; and these spores 



germinate and produce new plants. 



424a. Tiie leaf-blade of a fern is known as a frond, a term 

 which is also applied to the leaf-like bodies of duekmeats (252) 

 and 1o the leaf -like parts of certain other plants, where there is 

 little distinction of ribs or veins and no well -differentiated blade. 

 The stem of tha> frond is called a stipe. 



425. A bit of an aspidium, one of the com- 

 mon pinnate ferns of woods, is shown in Fig. 

 358. Four lobes of the frond are drawn, showing 

 a row of dots upon either margin. One of these 



