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FERN’S Ot NATAI. 
A. aureum. 
This plant has not at first sight much the appearance of a fern, and is 
no doubt often passed over by amateur collectors. Its stipes is 1 — 2 feet 
long, strong; frond sometimes 6 feet long, and 1 foot or more broad, the 
upper pinnae only, fertile; barren pinnae 3 — 9 in. long, the edge entire; 
texture coriaceous ; rachis and both surfaces naked ; veins copiously anas- 
tomosing, without any’ free veinlets. It is found generally near the sea 
coast in marshes or estuarys, and has the appearance of a cluster of young 
woody shrubs, the whole plant is hard and woody in texture, and the 
pinnae when fertile are slightly smaller than the barren ones, and have 
their under surfaces quite covered with the small capsules. 
Sub-Order 3. 
OSMUNDACE^E. 
This suborder is distinguished by spore cases which are two- valved 
and burst vertically across the apex, and the jointed elastic ring present, 
in all the proceeding species is in this Suborder only rudimentary; 
vernation cireinate. It includes 2 Genera, Osmunda with paniculate and 
Todea with dorsal fructification. 
Osmunda regalis. 
The Royal Fern, sometimes called the Flowering Fern on account of the 
cluster of capsules at the apex of the frond, having the apperance of a 
bunch of minute brown flowers, in Natal, the name Flowering Fern has 
been transtered to Anemia for the same reason. The Royal Fern is com- 
mon in England, and our variety differs very little from the English plant. 
It is easily recognized by its bipinnate leafy fronds, and by its fruit being 
in a panicle at the apex of the frond, while the lower portion is entirely 
leafy, but it sometimes differs in this respect, a many of the fronds are 
entirely barren, some entirely fertile, and again fertile pinnae sometimes 
occur in the middle of the frond while the apex and base are 
leafy, a form which in America is permanent and forms a species 
which is called 0. interupta ; sometimes instead of the whole of the 
segment being contracted and fertile, the large capsules are confined to 
the edge, leaving the central portion leafy; the fronds die down in the winter 
and produce fertile fronds in the spring and summer. At one time it 
was much esteemed as a medicine, and is, we believe still used. It was 
highly spoken of by the late Dr. Coffin the herbalist. Culpepper says of 
it " Saturn owns the plant, this hath all the virtues mentioned in the " 
“ former ferns, and is much more effectual than they, both for inward and " 
“ outward griefs, and is accounted singular good in wounds, bruises and" 
“ the like.” It is found in damp open situations all over the Colony. 
TODEA barbara, 
(In honor of Henry Julius Tode of Mecklenburg a writer on mosses). 
This our only species of this genus is large snbarborescent Fern, with 
ample fronds, often 4 or ft feet long ; it is bipinnate with close linear 
pinnules, the upper ones connected at the base, the lower ones distinct, 
edge toothed; both sides naked, the sori are confined to the back of the 
lower pinnules only, when mature completely filling them, veins free. It 
is found in marshy places from the coast to Noodsberg. 
