34 FLOWERLESS PLANTS 



plant appears on the scene, at first in the form 

 of a tiny bud, relying for its nutriment upon 

 the prothallus which bears it. Later on the 

 baby plant starts to send do^^•n a root into the 

 soil, a little leaf is sent upwards, and from 

 thenceforward it begins to lead an independent 

 existence. Gradually the prothallus withers up, 

 its purpose in life having been fulfilled. 



The abundance of the Bracken Fern [Ptens 

 aquilina) justifies a few remarks on the life- 

 story of the plant. The general appearance of 

 this fern is well known. The great frond varies 

 much in size, and may well be less than a foot 

 high in exposed places, or as much as three 

 yards in shady situations. The fohage of the 

 Bracken dies down during the \\inter, and the 

 new shoots usually appear during the month of 

 April. These are a pretty pale green, and quite 

 often are tipped with old gold. The leaf stalks 

 arise from a stout creeping stem, or rJiizome, 

 which throws out a plentiful amount of fibrous 

 roots, chiefly produced under the leaves. In a 

 sandy place it is not a difficult matter to dig 

 up a portion of the root-stock, and this is worth 

 an examination. The leaf stalks are seen to 

 arise from each side of the stem, and going 



