54 



Our Native Ferns. 



The characters thus commence with the lowest parts and con- 

 tinually advance upwards to completion. 



io6. Taking now a common fern we will notice its charac- 

 teristics. Suppose it to be the one commonly called " Maiden- 

 hair " in the Northern States. We take the parts in order and 

 give them a searching examination : the character of the root ; 

 the direction of growth, position, and appearance of the 

 rhizoma ; the appearance, color, and method of growth of the stipe ; 

 the method of cutting of the frond and the character of its sur- 

 face ; the method of veining ; the position of the fruit clusters on 

 the frond and veins, and the peculiar form of the indusium, if present. 

 The sporangia and spores are best studied with a microscope, 

 yet the shape of the sporangia and the character of the ring can 

 be determined with a strong lens. 



107. The characters of the Maidenhair can be summed up as 

 follows : 



108. We are now prepared to determine the specific name, 

 and for this purpose will turn to the Artificial Synopsis of 

 Genera. Reading the two statements under A we find our 

 plant agrees with the first, bearing the sporangia at the margin of 



