THE TALL SPLEEN WOR1S. 



By Adella Prescott. 



Some years ago when for me there were but two 

 species of ferns, those that were finely cut and those 

 that were not — and maidenhair — I supposed of course 

 that the narrow leaved spleen wort (Asplenium angus- 

 tifolium) was simply a hardy sword fern and that both 

 were varieties of the Christmas fern! But when I be- 

 gan to read the fascinating pages of Clute and Parsons 

 and Waters I found, even in the early summer, that 

 there were differences and by the time the sori appear- 

 ed I was wise enough to recognize the characteristic 

 mark of the spleenworts. Even then I thought it but 

 a common fern for in the woods with which I was 

 most familiar it grew plentifully and it was not till 

 sometime later that I learned that it is at least rare 

 enough to insure for itself a welcome whenever found. 



It is an extremely local plant and may be looked for 

 perhaps for years before being found though it has 

 a wide distribution and is apt to be plentiful where it 

 grows at all. It prefers rather moist soil and seems 

 to like Goldie's fern for a neighbor as I have often 

 found them in close proximity. 



The fronds grow in tufts from a creeping root- 

 stock and are said to reach a height of four feet but all 

 that I have seen were shorter by at least a foot. The 

 blades are simply pinnate with many long, narrow 

 pinnules tapering to slender tips. The fertile fronds 

 are taller with the pinnules much narrower and the 

 linear sori borne in two rows along the midrib of each 

 pinnule. The fronds are delicate in texture and are 

 easily destroyed by summer storms, yet the plant is 

 able to adapt itself in some degree to its environment 

 for a plant that I have in a border where it is exposed 

 to cold winds has become much more rugged both in 



46 



