RARE FORMS OF FERNS.-IX. 



Four Aberrant Osmundas. ■ 

 It is difficult to say whether the unusual number of 

 abnormal plants of the genus Osmund a recently re- 

 ported is due to the size and conspicuousness of the 

 plants, to their extreme abundance or to the assiduity 

 with which they have been searched for variable speci- 

 mens, but certain it is that the list of such finds is 

 steadily growing. Herewith we illustrate four new 

 forms which must be included. A few years ago, these 

 abnormal plants would have been passed by as of no 

 value, but the impression is growing that by means 

 of such freaks we may often get a glimpse behind the 

 scenes, as it were, and discover much that is ordinarily 

 hidden in the methods of nature, and we therefore place 

 these on record. 



One of the most interesting of the present specimens 

 was sent us more than a year ago. by Mr. Severin 

 Rapp. of Sanford, Florida. It is very evidently a form 

 of Osinunda rcgalis but differs from the type in hav- 

 ing pinnules much narrower than usual, and w ith the 

 edges beautifully wavy. The venation is also abnor- 

 mal, there being only about half as many veins as us- 

 ual with the single forks somewhat nearer the margin 

 than the midvein. The lack of the usual number of 

 veins also account for the wavy margins for it is evi- 

 dent that the tissues are filled out in the vicinity of the 

 vein-tips but sunk in where the veins are lacking. The 

 usual number of veins in the base of the pinnules makes 

 a very pretty earlike expansion there. The most re- 

 markable characteristic of the plant, however, is its 

 manner of fruiting. In my specimens, the fertile por- 

 tion is partly leaf-like and the sporangia are borne on 

 the backs of the veins at the point where they fork 



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