The Fern Lover's Companion 177 



II 

 THE FLOWERING FERN FAI\riLY 



OSMVNDACE.E 



This family is represented in North America by three 

 species, ah of which belong to the single genus, 



OSMUNDA 



The osnuindas are tall swamp ferns growing in large 

 crowns from strong, thickened rootstocks; the fruiting 

 portion of the fertile frond nuich contracted and quite 

 unlike the sterile. Sporangia large, globular, short- 

 stalked, borne on the margin of the divisions and opening 

 into two valves by a longitudinal slit. Ring obscure. 

 (From Osmunder, a name of the god Thor.) 



(1) Flowering Fern, Royal Fern, 

 Osmunda regalis- Osmiinda rci/alis, yiit. spectabili.s 



Fronds pale green, one to six feet high; sterile part 

 bipinnate, each pinna ha^■ing numerous pairs of lance- 

 oblong, .serrulate pinnules alternate along the midrib. 

 Fruiting panicle of the frond six to tweh'e inches long, 

 brown when mature and sometimes leafy. 



A magnificent fern, universally admired. Well named 

 by the great Linnfeus, regalis, royal, indeed, in its type of 

 queenly beauty. The wine-colored stij)es of the uncoiling 

 fronds shooting up in early spring, lifting gracefully their 

 pink pinnae and pretty panicles of bright green spore cases, 



