20 



FERNS IN THEIR HOMES AND OURS. 



mon to all the divisions of Vascular Cryptogams. 

 Again : it will be seen that there are differences 

 between the Cryptogams themselves (the four lower 

 groups), as great as the differences between Cryp- 

 togams and Phanerogams : i.e., a toadstool (one of 

 the Thallophytes) is as much below a Poly podium 

 as the Polypodium is below a sunflower (one of the 

 Phanerogams). 



In the second column we find the various classes 

 into which the groups are divided. About mid- 

 way in this column we find the ferns {Filices) as a 

 division of the Vasctclar Cryptogams, It will be 

 noticed that .with the ferns, under the heading 

 IsosporouSy are the Eqiiisetacece and OphioglossacecE. 

 This signifies that these three clusters of plants 

 produce but one sort of spores; which fact dis- 

 tinguishes them from the Lycopodiacecs and Rhizo- 

 carpecs, which produce two sorts, male and female, 

 and are denominated Heterosporous. The Lycopods 

 and Rhizocarps are thus more like the Phanerogams 

 or flowering plants, which have pollen, the male, 

 and an ovule, the female, element. Again : the 

 ferns have upon their leaves stomata (breathing- 

 pores), as do the flowering plants : hence they 

 must be placed in advance of the mosses and 

 Fungiy as these latter never have such organs. 

 Between the Characece and Fungi will be found in 

 brackets the Myxomycetes. These are plants hav- 

 ing somewhat the character of Fimgi, which flour- 



