FERN FAMILY 57 



mon Fern to which it bears some resemblance. 

 It is sometimes called Cla)ton's Fern. When 

 young the fronds are covered with woolly hairs, 

 but they soon become smooth. 



This is a common species, growing in crowns 

 in low ground, often by the roadside, and pre- 

 ferring stony soil. 



It fruits as the fronds unfold. The fertile 

 fronds are the taller, — from two to four feet 

 high, appearing in the middle of the crown at 

 maturity, and surrounded by the shorter and 

 gracefully drooping sterile fronds. 



The fertile fronds are similar in form to the 

 sterile ones above and below the centre, where 

 they are interrupted by from two to five pairs 

 of contracted fertile pinna; which are entirely 

 pinnate. These ai'e at first greenish but soon 

 become dark brown, withering and falling off 

 by midsummer. The fruit matures rapidly in 

 May. 



The pinna; of both sterile and fertile fronds 

 wither with the early frosts and fall from the 

 rachides as in the Cinnamon Fern. 



ONOCLEA. 



The name is from the Greek cvws, a vessel, 

 and kleio, to close, alluding to the berry-like 

 fertile frond. 



