11 



one to each lobe, on or just below the lobes ; iodusium burstiog 

 into several jagged lobes which with the sorus gives the appear- 

 ance of a small flower. Not common. Rocky cliffs. August. 

 Found in Johnson, Muscatine, Jackson, and Delaware counties. 



13. OSMUNDA L. Flowering-Fern. 



Tall ferns from thickened rootstocks. Fronds clustered, fer- 

 tile and sterile or mixed ; sporangia globular, in bead like clus- 

 ters on rhachis like divisions of the fertile pinnae ; fertile pinnae 

 destitute of chlorophyll. 



O. CLAYTONIANA L. 1^2 feet high, pinnate ; pinnae lance- 

 olate, pinnatifid into oblong, obtuse, straight veined divisions ; 

 the middle 2 — 5 pinnae fertile, pinnatifid into globular like di- 

 visions. The fern is densely woolly when young but soon be- 

 comes glabrous. Fruits while unfolding. May. Prefers low 

 ground in rich woods. Common in the wooded portions of the 

 eastern part of the state but becomes scarce through the central 

 and western portions. 



O. ciNNAMOMEA L. Sterile fronds tall, 3 — 5 feet high, in 

 clusters, clothed with cinnamon colored wool when young, at 

 length glabrous ; pinnae pinnatifid, segments ovate, oblong, ob- 

 tuse, entire; fertile fronds shorter, 2—3 feet, appearing before 

 the sterile,' decay early, contracted, bi-pinnnte, covered with rus- 

 ty colored sporangia. Prefers moist localities. May. Found 

 once in Johnson conuty by Mr. Shimek and reported from Mus- 

 catine county by Mr. Witter. 



Order 3. OPHIOGLOSSACE^. 



Plants fern like in appearance, leafy, from a bulbous or fleshy 

 root, vernation erect. Sporangia panicled in our species, de- 

 veloped from the internal tissue of the frond, 2-valved, ring 

 wanting, spores sulphur colored. Prothallus monoecious, sub- 

 terranean, not green. 



BOTRYCHIUM SWARTZ. Moonwort. 



Plants from a short erect root«tock with clustered fleshy roots; 

 bulb for next year's frond at the base of the stipe. Frond with 

 fertile and sterile portions ; fertile portion much contracted, 



