The Flowering Fern. 
179 
cubits high, beset upon each side with large leaves spread abroad like wings, and dented or cut 
like Polypodie : these leaves are like the large leaves of the Ash-tree : for doubtlesse when I 
first saw them afar off, it caused me to woonder thereat, 
thinking that I had seen yoong Ashes growing upon a 
bogge, but beholding it a little neerer, I might easily 
distinguish it from the Ashe, by the browne, rough, and 
round graines that grewe on the top of the branches, 
which yet are not the seede thereof but are verie like 
unto the seede : the roote is greate and thicke, folded 
and covered over with manie scales and interlacing rootes, 
having in the middle of the great and hard woodie part 
thereof some small white- 
nesse, which hath been called 
the hart of Osmund the 
waterman.” His description 
of the localities in which the 
plant grew in his time also 
contains an amusing re- 
ference, and is worth citing 
as showing that the Osmunda 
was formerly a London plant : 
“ It groweth in the midst 
of a bogge, at the further 
end of Hampsteede Heath 
from London, at the bottome 
of a hill adioning to a small 
cottage, and divers other 
places, as also upon divers 
bogges on a heath or com- 
mon neere unto Burntwood 
[Brentwood] in Essex, especi- 
ally neere unto a place there 
that some have digged, to 
the end for to finde a nest 
or mine of golde : but the 
birds were over fledge, and 
flowne away before their 
wings could be clipped.” 
From the Hampstead lo- 
cality it soon disappeared ; 
for Johnson, writing less 
than forty years afterwards, 
says that it was not then to 
be found there. 
UPPER PORTION OF FROND OF OSMUNDA. 
The fronds of the Flowering Fern are about equally divided in length between the stipes 
and the leafy portion j their entire height varies from two to twelve feet, the former being 
