402 



THE BOOK OF CHOICE FERNS. 



in. certain localities from Massachusetts to Florida and Louisiana, where it is 

 found growing in swampy woods, and apparently never very far from the 

 coast. According to Lowe, it was introduced into the Royal Gardens, Kew, 

 in 1830. The barren and fertile fronds are totally different ; both kinds are 

 produced from a rootstock sometimes 1ft. long, often branched, round, about 



fi^. 110, Barren Frond of Woodwardia areolata 

 a nat. size). 



Jin. thick, of a very dark brown colour, and bearing black, fibrous roots along 

 its whole length. The barren fii-onds (Fig. 110) are by far the more 

 abundant ; they are borne on a short, slender stem, are 9in. to 12in, long and 

 6in. to Sin. broad, and are furnished with numerous pairs of oblong-spear- 

 shaped, wavy leaflets. Sin, to 4in. long, Jin. to fin. broad, of a soft, papery 

 texture, and naked on both surfaces. The fertile fronds, considerably taller 



