GROUP IV 



FERTILE AND STERILE FRONDS LEAF-LIKE AND SIMILAK ; 

 SPORANGIA ON OR BENEATH A REFLEXED MARGIN 



In the spring or early summer its solitary spread- 

 ing frond, light-green and delicate in color, might 

 almost be confused with the Oak Fern. Later its 

 green takes on a dark, dull shade, and its general 



aspect becomes more 

 hardy than that of 

 any other fern. 



The Brake is be- 



lieved to be the- 

 "fearn" of the early 

 Saxons and to have given this pre- 

 fix to many English towns and vil- 

 lages, such as Fearnhow or Farr 

 how, Farningham, etc. 



It is one of the few ferns men- 

 tioned by name in general litera- 

 ture. In the " Lady of the Lake " Brake 

 it is alluded to in the song of the heir of Armandave: 



" The heath this night must be my bed, 

 The Bracken curtain for my head." 

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