THE JAMAICA WALKING FERN. 



(Fadyem'a ftrolifera.) 

 By Wilurd N. Clute. 



W alking ferns, in the sense of ferns whose fronds bend over 

 and take root at the tip, are fairly common in the fern world. 

 Our own most noted example is the interesting little Camptosorus 

 rhizophyllus not uncommon on limestone rocks, but we have 

 several others that occasionally root at the tip, such as the 

 hartstongue (Scolopendrium vulgare), the ebony spleenwort 

 (Asplenium ebeneum), the pinnatifid spleenwort (A. pinnatifidum) 

 and that curious hybrid named Asplenium ebenoides. 



In the colder parts of the Old World Camptosorus sibericus, 

 a species much like our walking fern, is found, but we must turn 

 to the Tropics to find walking ferns in abundance. In Jamaica, 

 especially, there are numerous species with this habit. One 

 of the most characteristic is the one we have selected for illus- 

 tration under the title of the Jamaica walking fern. Fadyenia, 

 as it is often called, has more claim to our attention than the 

 mere fact that it is a walking fern. It is the only fern of its 

 kind in the world and the entire genus Fadyenia consists of this 

 single species prolifera. Its fronds, too, are odd enough to dis- 

 tinguish it anywhere. There are first certain round-ended or 

 spatulate fronds for purely vegetative functions, oftenest seen 

 in young specimens ; second, there are other lanceolate tapering 

 fronds which do the " walking " and which are manifestly later 

 leaves like the first form, but with prolonged, slender tips, and 

 lastly there are the paddle-shaped fertile fronds which are like 

 neither of the others. The margins of all are entire. 



This species grows on springy banks in the open sun or 

 partial shade and in certain localities is very plentiful. The rather 

 thick and leathery sterile fronds spread out in the form of a 

 rosette and the slender tips rarely fail to produce new plants 

 which, in the genial climate of their habitat, soon reach the size 

 of their parents. The fertile fronds are erect and their manner 

 of fruiting, though allied to the wood-ferns, differs enough to 

 cause the species to be placed in a separate genus. On each 

 side of the mid-rib is a single row of horse-shoe-shaped sori 

 pointing toward the tip, covered by oval indusia fixed by the 



