558 | THE FERN FAMILY. 
1. B. Lunaria, Sw. (fig. 1279). Moonwort.—Rootstock very small, 
bearing a single erect stem, 3 to 6 or 8 inches high, surrounded at the 
base by a few brown sheathing scales, The leaf or barren frond about 
the centre of the stem, 1 to 3 inches long, pinnate, with from 5 to 15 or 
even more obliquely fan- -shaped or halfmoon-shaped segments, of a 
thick consistence, and entire or crenate. Panicle 1 to near 2 inches 
long, of a narrow pyramidal shape, the branches all turned towards 
one side. 
In dry, hilly, or mountain pastures, in northern and Arctic Europe, 
Asia, and America, in the mountains of central and southern Europe, 
and reappearing in south. temperate regions. Widely diffused over 
Britain, but not generally common. Fr. spring or early summer. 
III. OSMUNDA. OSMUND. 
Fronds once or twice pinnate, the leafy part barren ; the fructifica- 
tion consisting of clustered spore-cases, either in a panicle at the end 
of the frond, or, in exotic species, in some other part of the frond, but 
always distinct from the leaf- like part ; each spore-case opening by a 
vertical fissure. 
A genus of few species, natives chiefly of the temperate regions of 
both hemispheres, especially the northern one. 
1. O. regalis, Linn. (fig. 1280). Fern Royal.—The perennial stock 
often forms a trunk rising perceptibly from the ground, and sometimes 
to the height of a foot or more. Fronds growing in tufts, erect, from a 
foot or two in dry poor soils, to 8 or 10 feet when very luxuriant, twice 
pinnate, with lanceolate or oblong segments, 1 to 2 inches long, rather 
stiff, prominently veined, either entire or obscurely crenate. Fructifica- 
tion forming a more or less compound panicle at the top of the frond, 
usually bipinnate, each spike-like branch representing a segment of 
the frond. / 
In moist or boggy places, in western, central, and some parts of 
southern and south-eastern Europe, extending northwards to southern 
Scandinavia; also in central Asia, North and South America, and 
southern Africa, In Britain, chiefly in the western counties of England 
and Scotland, in Wales, and Ireland, apparently very local in other 
parts of England, and entirely absent from several counties. fr. end 
of summer, or autumn. 
‘IV. POLYPODIUM. POLYPODY. 
Fronds (in the British species) either pinnate or ternately divided, 
with the branches pinnate. Spore-cases minute, collected in circular 
clusters or sori on the under side of the segments, without any indusium 
or involucre ; each spore-case (as in all the following genera) encircled 
by an elastic jointed ring, and bursting irregularly on one side, inci 3 
then, under a microscope,. the appearance of a little helmet. 
A large genus, widely distributed over the globe, only differing: from 
Aspidiwm in the absence of any indusium or membrane cei 
