36 FLOWERLESS PLANTS 



underground stems that propagation through 

 the agency of spores is uncommon, at any rate 

 in exposed situations. Spores are, however, 

 pretty freely produced in stalked cases which 

 are developed round the edges of the leaflets ; 

 these are curved inwards in such a way that a 

 groove is formed. During the late summer the 

 spores are released in great numbers, sufficiently 

 so at times to coat surrounding objects with a 

 brown powder. The subsequent development 

 of the spore consists in the formation of a 

 prothallus with sex organs which were observed 

 in the case of the Male Fern. For most people 

 the best chance of watching the development 

 of the new Bracken Fern from the spores 

 consists in growing them on the lines suggested 

 in the case of the Male Fern. It is curious to 

 note that the underground habit of the plant 

 does not at once become apparent. It is only 

 after the production of a number of the leaves 

 that the stem divides into two branches which 

 grow downwards into the soil, whence they 

 never again come up to the light. 



A number of species of ferns which are more 

 or less common in Great Britain and Ireland 

 show certain distinguishing features. The Lady 



