FERN FAMILY 7 



frond, more plentifully at the base. The outer 

 ones are often in pairs so that the indusia open 

 face to face, finally becoming confluent and 

 forming crooked lines. Time of maturity, July. 



PHEGOPTERIS. Beech Fern. 



The name is from the Greek /'//r^^os, an oak 

 or beech tree, and pteris, a fern. 



The Beech ferns were formerly classed in 

 the genus Polypodimti. 



OAK FERN 



Phegopteris Dryoptcris. 



Frond ternate, broadly triangular, from three 

 to five inches wide, the three primary divisions 

 stalked, pinnate, also triangular. The segments 

 are oblong, obtuse, sometimes toothed, and on 

 the lower side of the lateral divisions they are 

 longer than on the upper side. The branches 

 are drooping. The stipe is very long and slen- 

 der, darker, and slightly chaffy at the base. 



This is a very delicate fern, from a few inches 

 to one foot in height, growing in moist, rocky 

 woods. It is quite common in northern New 

 England, but occurs less frequently in the 

 southern part. 



The fruit-dots are naked, round, and small, 

 near the margin. They mature in July. 



