BEAUTIFUL FERNS. 
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lanceolate or oblong-lanceolate, narrowed at the base, es- 
pecially the lower ones, and either rounded or subacute at 
the apex. The sinuses between them are rounded, and are 
gradually narrowed towards the apex of the frond. The 
segments are very minutely serrulate on the edges ; the 
smallest ones otherwise entire, and the larger ones either 
with sinuous margins or, in large fronds, deeply sinuous- 
pinnatifid. The texture is herbaceous, the surfaces perfectly 
smooth, the color of the upper surface grass-green, of the 
lower surface paler and slightly glaucescent. The fronds 
wilt very soon after plucking them, and in wilting there is 
a slight disposition to fold the segments together, face to 
face, for which reason the plant has received the name of 
“ Sensitive-Fern.” The first frost of autumn destroys the 
sterile fronds; and a late frost in May or June does the same. 
The midribs are prominent, and the veins conspicuous ; the 
latter being copiously reticulated into areoles which enclose 
no free veinlets. Along the sides of the midribs and mid- 
veins are very long and narrow areoles, and outside of these 
are obliquely-placed oblong areoles in several irregular rows. 
The fertile fronds are not very common, and a young 
botanist may search in vain for them for a long time. They 
stand only about half as high as the sterile fronds, and are very 
rigid. They are nearly black in color: in winter they dry up, 
but remain erect through the next summer, so that a fruiting 
plant often has fertile fronds standing of two years’ growth. 
The frond is only a few (usually four to six) inches long, 
