34 



THE BOOK OF CHOICE FERNS. 



particular leaflet. The barren fronds, borne on stout, round stalks 1ft. to 

 lift, long, often measure 2ft. to 3ft. in length and 6in. to 9in. in breadth ; 

 they are famished with closely-set leaflets Sin. to 4in. long, about lin. broad, 

 and cut down nearly to the rachis (stalk of the leafy portion) into close, 

 entire, blunt, oblong lobes of a somewhat leathery texture. When fertile, this 

 species cannot be mistaken for any other known kind, as the fertile fronds rise 

 from the centre of it in early spring ; they are much smaller than the barren 

 ones, and at first are densely covered with light brown tomentum (wool), but 

 when fairly uncoiled, the abundant spore masses give them the characteristic 

 cinnamon-brown colouring not found in any other known kind. The fertile 

 fronds are usually the first to make their appearance, and in that respect 

 again dhTer from all other known Osmundas ; but the barren ones soon follow 

 them, and when regularly disposed they form as it were a magnificent green 

 vase, within which the plumes of fructification stand erect (Fig. 9). Normally 

 the fronds are either entirely fertile and then devoid of any green tissue, or 

 wholly barren and of a pleasing light green colour ; but it is not unusual 

 to find fronds in which some of the lower leaflets are leafy, while others, 

 mainly barren, have their summit wholly or partly transformed into fructifi- 

 cation. Such fronds are, however, mere accidents : their reproduction 

 is not to be depended upon, even on the same individual plant, which seldom 

 retains this character, and therefore cannot rank as a distinct variety. — Hooker, 

 Synojisis Filicum, p. 426. Nicholson, Dictionary of Gardening, ii., p. 530. Eaton, 

 Ferns of North America, i., t. 29. Lowe, Ferns British and Exotic, viii., t. 1. 



O. Claytoniana — Clay-to'-ni-a'-na (Clayton's), Linnceus. 



This thoroughly hardy species, better known perhaps in gardens under 

 the name of 0. interrupta, is an extremely handsome and highly decorative 

 plant, native of North America, where it grows luxuriantly in low 

 grounds and wet thickets, and especially delights in alluvial soil. According 

 to Eaton, it is very abundant from Newfoundland to Lake Superior, and its 

 natural habitat extends southwards to the mountainous regions of Arkansas, 

 Kentucky, and North Carolina, if not farther ; it has even been found, 

 though in limited numbers, on the Himalayas, up to 10,000ft. elevation. 



Of all the known kinds of Osmunda, this is undoubtedly the one in 

 which the combination of the curious and beautiful is most conspicuous. 



