38 



h. FERN BOOK TOR EVERYBODY. 



pound spike, and the barren lower portion resembling 

 a single pinnate leaf attached to the side of a stem. Be- 

 fore expanding, this leafy portion is not rolled spirally, 

 as in many ferns, but the two flat surfaces of the two 

 sides of the frond are applied together face to face. When 

 expanded and mature, the whole plant seldom exceeds 6 

 or 8 inches in height, and often not more than 3 or 4. 

 The barren frond — for it seems entitled to that designa- 

 tion — is pinnate, or divided on each side into a series of 

 fan-shaped lobes, which are opposite to each other in pairs, 

 of which from four to seven pairs occur upon a frond. 

 Sometimes the lobes are almost crescent-shaped, and but 

 slightly notched on the margin ; at other times they are 

 nearer f\m-shaped with the margin, and more irregular. 

 The fertile frond is erect and branched, with the globose 

 sessile spore-cases clustered on the branchlets. These 

 cases consist of two concave valves, which open trans- 

 versely when the spores are mature. (Plate I., fig. 2.) 



This species is local rather than rare, it being found in 

 open heaths, moors and commons, and elevated rocky 

 pastures. 



In olden times mysterious and extraordinary properties 

 were ascribed to the Moonwort. Chaucer names it as 

 part of the alchemist's furniture : 



"And herbes conde I tell eke many on. 

 As egremouie, valerian, and lunarie.*' 



And for this reason, as old authors tell, " it hath beene 

 used among the alchymistes and witches to doe wonders 

 withall, who say, that it will loose lockes, and make them 

 to fall i'rom the feet of horses that graze where it doth 

 grow, and hath beene called Mart agon, v^hereas they are 

 all but drowsie dreames and illusions." Eeferring to this 

 belief, Withers wrote : 



" There is an herb, some say, whose virtue 's such. 

 It in the pasture, only with a touch, 

 Unshods the new-shod steed." 



In those days, w^hen witches were supposed to ride on 

 broomsticks, it is said that this little fern served the 



