False Ferns). The present genus is readily recognized by the na¬ 
ture of the capsule : instead of being of a delicate and brittle tex¬ 
ture, and more or less surrounded by an elastic jointed ring, and 
bursting irregularly, here it is of a firm, opaque, and somewhat 
coriaceous texture, opening vertically by two valves, and fur¬ 
nished only with the rudiment of a ring. This is the only species 
known in Europe; but it is by no means confined to Europe, 
as may be judged by the above array of synonyms, which, 
from the copious specimens in my possession from the four 
quarters of the globe, I have reason to believe are only slightly 
modified forms of one and the same species. My herbarium 
contains specimens from most parts of Europe, to the extreme 
south; North America, from New Orleans to Canada; from 
Africa, Algeria in the north, Cape of Good Hope to Natal in 
the south, and as far as Macalisberg in the south interior; Ma¬ 
dagascar, Mauritius, and Bourbon. From tropical America, 
Mexico, Venezuela, etc.; and various parts of New Granada, 
through Brazil to the Rio Plata. From India, from Bombay on 
the west coast, eastward to Khasya, and from various parts of 
Plimalaya, Kumaon to Bhotan. From China, Hongkong, etc.; 
and Japan, and Tsus-Sima, Gulf of Corea. Dr. Wallich’s spe¬ 
cimens of his 0 . speciosa have generally, but by no means al¬ 
ways, the fronds all barren or all fertile; while those I possess 
from China and Japan are invariably so. 
In no country perhaps are finer specimens produced than in 
Britain, especially on the west coast of Scotland, near the mouth 
of the Clyde; and there, including the tussock formed above¬ 
ground of the caudex and dense mass of matted fibrous roots, 
we have measured fronds eleven feet high. From the top of 
these tussocks or hummocks spring the stipites in clusters, with 
their ample bipinnated fronds. The pinnae measure from a span 
to nearly a foot long in some cases; the pinnules are not unfre- 
quently two and a half inches long, and half an inch broad. The 
uppermost pinnae form the panicle of fructification. So far from 
being “ invisible, 57 the conspicuous seed-vessels have given rise to 
one of the common names of the plant, the “flowering Fern!' 
It is more difficult to discover the origin of the most popular 
name of the present day, “ Osmund Royal!' Sir James Smith’s 
conjecture seems to have been generally accepted, from Osmund , 
in Saxon, said to mean “ domestic peace. 55 In olden time, as 
Gerarde assures us, it was called “ Osmund the Waterman and 
the whitish portion of the root-stock (“which boiled or else 
stamped, and taken with some kind of liquor, is thought to be 
good for those that are wounded, dry-beaten, and bruised, or 
that have fallen from some high place”) is called the 11 heart of 
Osmund the Waterman!' Another name in his day was, “ St. 
