The Feun I, over's Companic 



171 





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Sensiti\'e Fern. Gradations fVoni Leal' to I'^iaiil. Ohhisilohata Form 



(1) 8exsiti\ E Fek.v. (htocica seit.rihili.-^ 



Fronds one to lliree feet lii,nh, scattered along a creeping 

 rootslock, broadly triangular, deeplj' jjinnatifld, with 

 segments siniiately lohed or nearly entire. Veins reticu- 

 lated with fine meshes. The fertile fronds shorter, closely 

 hipinnate with the pinnules rolled uj) into herry-like 

 structures which contain the spore cases. (The name in 

 Greek means a closed ves.sel, in allusion to the berry-like 

 fertile segments.) The sensitive fern is so called from its 

 being very sensitive to frost. The sterile and fertile 

 fronds are totally unlike, the latter not coming out of the 

 ground until about July, when they aj)i)ear like rows of 

 small, green grajjes or berries, but soon tiu'n dark and 



