THE LADY FERN AND ITS KIN. 185 
mon in the Old World. It is one of the easiest of ferns 
to cultivate and will grow in almost any soil if given 
moisture and partial shade. This species is frequently 
called a brake, and is also occasionally known as back- 
ache fern. The rhizome of the European species is erect 
or ascending and commonly rises a few inches above the 
soil. That of our plant is long and creeping, which seems 
to indicate that the two are not identical. In this case 
our plant would be known as Athyrium Michauxit, 
or perhaps more properly Athyrium filix-feemina Alich- 
aux. In northwestern America there is a form that is 
taller and broader, with indusia so curved that they ap- 
pear almost circular with a narrowsinus. It was formerly 
considered a variety of the lady fern and named cyc/gso- 
rum. It is now generally thought to be a distinct 
species. 
The Silvery Spleenwort. 
The best place to look for the silvery spleenwort 
(Athyrium thelypterotdes) is in the rich moist woods on 
the borders of thecrested fern’s haunts where it delights 
to grow among the Jack-in-the-pulpits, Trilliums, Solo- 
mon’s Seals and other lily-like plants. It is an unas- 
suming plant as ferns go, with few characteristics suffi- 
ciently striking to make it prominent among its sister 
species. Unless one is making a clean sweep of every 
woodland, it is possible for it to exist in his locality 
for years without being discovered. When growing in 
clumps, its resemblance to some of the wood ferns, 
especially the marsh and New York ferns, is quite 
close. 
The rootstock is thick, horizontal and creeps near the 
surface. The fronds are produced singly from the grow- 
