THE MARSH FERN TRIBE. 
The slender crosiers of this species 
resemble those of the marsh fern, with 
I2Ir 
blades rolled into similar green balls, 
but the stipes are much shorter. The Sah 
mature fronds are very thin and deli- 
cate, of a light yellow-green colour, SE 
and are produced in tufts along a ss 
slender creeping rootstock. In shape ae) 
they are broadly lanceolate, pinnate, 
and taper from about the middle to the 
acuminate apex. Below, the pinnz 
grow farther and farther apart, and coon 
are gradually reduced in size until the 
lowest are mere green ears. The pinne Sa 
are lanceolate, acute and _ pinnatifid, 
with numerous, narrow, round-ended 
pinnules. 
The fronds are often finely hairy under- 
neath and strewn with minute glands. When 
the foliage is bruised these glands give out a 
pleasing odour which has been called lemon- 
like, by one writer and vanilla-like, by others. 
The fact is, however, that it can hardly be 
likened to the odour of any other substance. 
It is the same ferny scent common to numet- 
ous species but in this one sweet and strong. 
One of its allies, Aspidium oreopteris, is called 
sweet-scented fernin England. It is described 
as having the under surface sprinkled with 
shining, yellowish, resinous globules, and even 
the crosiers are fragrant. One of its admirers 
writes of it, ‘‘Few things in nature are more 
beautiful than a great number of these plants 
NEW YORK FERN. 
Aspidium Novebora- 
cense, 
